Latino Men's Group Discussions...

Easter, God and the significance

2010-03-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Easter, what does that mean to us as gay latino men? Any connections between the first we learned about God and the first time we felt rejection and/or the needing to be loved/accepted?

Maybe we should take a look to see the significance of those two times in our lives...How does it all tie in.

HEALTH REFORM: This Is What Change Looks Like

2010-03-22T14:08:00.000-07:00

We made it. Late last night, the House passed the Senate’s health care reform bill (by a vote of 219-212) and a package of fixes to the bill (220-211). Afterwards, President Obama spoke about the historic nature of the health reform vote and all the good it will do for the American people.

“This isn’t radical reform,” said the president, “But it is major reform.” Health reform will transform the health care system into something more sustainable and affordable for everyone, not by tearing it down and starting over, but by strengthening the system that already exists, realigning incentives, and asking everyone do their fair share to make our health system work. Obama thanked everyone who refused to give up the fight for reform. “As momentous as this day is, it's not the end of this journey,” said Obama, but it does represent “another stone firmly laid in the foundation of the American Dream.”

“This is what change looks like,” he said. See the whole speech at the White House Blog:

Paquita hatin' on the Gays? Thoughts.....

2010-03-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

We're used to Paquita la del Barrio hating on men but now the singer is also expressing her homophobia.

'I rather see a kid die,' said Paquita to Escandalo TV when asked if she wouldn't like a gay couple adopting a poor kid off the streets. The singer, who's made her fame by singing about heartbreak and comparing men to rats, didn't stop there.

Her homophobic comments continue with the nonsensical 'my respects to them, I love them very much but'..wait..she loves gays or should we say 'them'?

If this is her idea of love no wonder Paquita has lots of songs about being dumped.

Joint Chiefs set to review 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy

2010-02-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Washington (CNN) -- Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen will meet with other members of the Joint Chiefs on Monday to discuss President Obama's plan to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for gay and lesbian service members, according to two U.S. military officials.

The closed-door meeting is considered exceptionally sensitive, the sources say, because the chiefs -- each of whom heads a military service -- are said to be concerned that changing the policy would be too disruptive to military forces.

The policy, which has been in effect since 1993, prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the U.S. armed forces. The policy bans military recruiters or authorities from asking about an individual's sexual orientation, but also prohibits a service member from revealing that he or she is gay.

Obama announced his intention to repeal the policy during last week's State of the Union address.

"This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are," he said.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to hear from Adm. Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday on how the Obama plan to repeal the policy might be implemented.

Conservatives, however, still largely oppose a repeal.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, whom Obama beat in the 2008 presidential election, recently said that such a repeal "would be a mistake."

"This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels," said McCain, a former Navy pilot.

"We have the best-trained, best-equipped and most professional force in the history of our country, and the men and women in uniform are performing heroically in two wars. At a time when our armed forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield, now is not the time to abandon the policy."

But in a message to Pentagon leadership, Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it's time to repeal the policy.

"As a nation built on the principle of equality, we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger more cohesive military," he said. His letter was sent out by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, who supports repealing the policy.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization that works with those affected by the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, has praised Obama's call for repeal.

"We very much need a sense of urgency to get this done in 2010," the group recently said. "We call on the president to repeal the archaic 1993 law in his defense budget currently being drafted, that is probably the only and best moving bill where DADT can be killed this year. ... The American public, including conservatives, is overwhelmingly with the commander in chief on this one."

Obama campaigned on the promise that he would repeal the policy in his first year of office. Speaking to the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign in October, Obama admitted that "our progress may be taking longer than we like," but he insisted that his administration was still on track to overturn the policy.

"Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach," he said.

A closed door meeting? I wonder how many Generals are gay? Half the Roman Army was gay and still won wars,Rome fell on its own sword,their politicans remind me of the two party system we now have.

Cindy McCain Joins California’s No H8 Gay-Rights Campaign

2010-01-21T16:59:00.000-08:00

One of the planks of the conservative platform upon which presidential candidate John McCain ran in 2008 was his opposition to gay marriage. So imagine the surprise of the organizers of the "No H8 Campaign," which is a photo project devoted to collecting images in protest of the passage of Proposition 8, when McCain's wife Cindy volunteered to be included.

“In the year since we’ve started the NOH8 Campaign, we’ve been surprised at some of the different individuals who have approached us showing their support. Few, though, have surprised us more than Cindy McCain — the wife of Senator John McCain and mother to vocal marriage equality advocate Meghan McCain. The McCains are one of the most well-known Republican families in recent history, and for Mrs. McCain to have reached out to us to offer her support truly means a lot."

Currently, Proposition 8, which took away the rights of gay couples to marry in California last year, is being debated in federal court. The trial is not being broadcast, but live-acted reenactments are expected to be streamed here after each session, starting today.

Read more: Cindy McCain Joins California’s No H8 Gay-Rights Campaign -- Daily Intel http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/01/cindy_mccain_joins_californias.html#ixzz0dIdoXufK

Observations about President Obama and Latinos

2009-10-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

Obama has already demonstrated that he is the first US President to appoint more Latinos in his administration than any other President before him. His crowning achievement was to get Sonia Sotomayor on the US Supreme Court. It involved a first Latino appointment and a woman at the same time. Senate confirmation appointments of Latinos last counted was right under 50. These means Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, Cabinet members Hilda Solis (Labor) and Ken Salazar (Interior), several Under Secretaries like Maria Otero at State, about a score of assistant secretaries; included also are ambassadors and federal judges. The non-confirmable slots reflect even higher numbers of Latinos have been given employment by the administration. Plainly, Obama and his team are betting that the Latino vote will continue to grow and thrive while the GOP tacks to the wrong side of a looming immigration reform legislative battle which many pundits suggest will turn ‘dirty’: anti-immigrant, then anti-Mexican and possibly racist anti-Latino. Yet it is difficult at times to understand the slowness of the recognition of Latinos by both parties.

One can readily surmise that for years in the affrimative action wars and the hard fought battles for equality significant Federal Court orders have been issued in favor of women and African-Americans, but judicial remedy for Latinos has been scarce or absent. The rap in Washington is that Latinos (now the largest ethnic minority in the country) do not sue in general, therefore the government or the private sector has not detected a real ‘penalty’ for not recruiting or retaining or promoting Hispanics. This has further exacerbated the insufficient numbers of Latinos in appointed positions and career status in the federal bureaucracies.

Nearly fifty years ago John Kennedy appointed the first two Hispanic US Ambassadors (both political appointees: Raymond Telles and Teodoro Moscoso) and the first Hispanic Federal Judge Reynaldo de la Garza (if one does not consider Sephardic Jew Ben Cardozo by FDR). Subsequently, we saw Lyndon Johnson name the first career Hispanic US diplomat as an ambassador (John Jova to Honduras). Later, in the seventies President Gerald Ford named the first Hispanic to be an Assistant Secretary (Al Zapanta to Interior). Earlier in the sixties, the first Latino with the rank of a four star officer Admiral Horacio Rivero of Puerto Rico was named. Richard Cavazos of Texas followed him as the first Latino four-star General in the US Army. Cavazos’ brother, Lauro Cavazos was named by President Reagan as the first Latino Cabinet (Education) member in the history of the US. Two civilian military heads of service named were Ed Hidalgo as Navy Secretary under President Carter and Louis Caldera, Secretary of the Army under Clinton. The first Hispanic National Security Council official (under Clinton) with the rank of Special Assistant to the President was Arturo Valenzuela (now being named by Pres. Obama as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere). To be certain, we have seen numerous Latinos appointed to key jobs and many other positions of influence not just token or symbolic positions. Yet Latinos continue to be under-represented in the federal bureaucracy.

A studied glance at the Pentagon will reveal the roster for general officers. One can readily notice that of the several hundred active duty general/flag rank officers in the US military, there are a handful with Hispanic last names, but only three of these general rank officers are Latino. The fact is that Latinos are not sufficiently represented in the career senior ranks of the federal bureaucracy and in the US military establishment. Clearly, the problem lies in recruitment, retention, job assignment and speed of promotion. Two underlining factors contribute to this less than satisfactory situation. First, the lack of any effective judicial or legal order court ordering or manifesting any vested interest in remedying Latino under-representation. Added to this is the discernible lack of understanding or knowledge by too many Latinos on how the federal bureaucracy (the corporate culture) works. Nor do they seem to possess an adequate appreciation of mastering the organization’s unwritten rules. Meaningful mentorship and Godfathers (padrinos) in the bureaucracy remain a scarce resource for Latinos. Some observers note that most university trained Latinos do not consider or go into public service. They tend to prefer the private sector or the non-profit type of organizations. It should be noted here that the numbers or proportion of Latinos in the private sector doing well or being better representative of the larger Hispanic population remains truly a more difficult challenge to rectify. Again, Obama has not short-changed the Latinos. Nonetheless, the Latino community must now ensure that the next generation of Latino appointees or career types are better equipped to understand and navigate the troubled waters of the tangled bureaucracy. The Latino community will need to brace itself for the on-going acrimonious health-care reform efforts, the looming immigration reform and the economic and tax adjustments. All Latinos will be stakeholders in these action items at one point or another…

Where doth lie that rarest of breeds they call "The Gay Latino"?

2009-09-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here is the thing: I have no doubt Gay.com truly, sincerely and authentically wants to get to know me a little bit better. Heck! I'm sure they are patting themselves in the back for showing some inclusivity. But why am I still laughing about their recent attempt at knowing LGBT Latinos?

On Wednesday, the web portal posted a column on their site (as well as on PlanetOut) asking Latinos to tell them "What’s Your Gay Latino/Hispanic Life Like?" Never mind that while I might identify as a Latino man, I'm not sure that my "gay life" is too Latino or Hispanic. I mean, should I tell them I dance salsa every morning and eat nacho chips with guacamole every night?

Digging deeper, let's take a look at how they frame Latino/Hispanic gay life:

Judging by their questions they seem to think that gay Latinos are in the closet ("As a Latino/Hispanic, do you have a 'coming out' story specific to your culture? Or do you have any stories describing why you feel you cannot 'come out' as an LGBT Latino?"), prone to being victims of homophobic attacks ("Could you provide an experience where you were a victim of gay bashing/abuse from fellow Latinos vs. non-Hispanic people, whether you were 'out' or not?"), have no access to books, television, films or computers ("How did you learn about sex and sexual orientation? Was it from family, friends, religion, etc?" or "How did you learn about STDs and safe sex? Was it culturally specific through organizations or just through personal experiences?"), and might not get what 'gayness' entails ("What are your perceptions of what makes a gay man - top/bottom or other roles? - and a lesbian in Latino/Hispanic culture?").

That's not necessarily wanting to know more about LGBT Latinos. It's requesting that LGBT Latinos respond according to a number of stereotypical assumptions about being Latino and LGBT (you know, that there are few if any out LGBT Latinos, that Latinos are more homophobic, and that we might define sexuality by the sexual positions we assume when having sex).

Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit but here is the kicker: What was the impetus behind Gay.com's new-found interest on finding out more about LGBT Latinos? Why none other that Mexican-American singer Linda Ronstadt!

In an interview that also was posted on Gay.com on Wednesday, Ms. Ronstadt, who to her credit has always been a strong ally to LGBT Latinos, speaks about lesbian ranchera singer Lucha Reyes, the passage of Prop. 8 in California last year, homophobia in the Latino community, and her role coordinating the upcoming San Jose Mariachi Festival (Ms. Rondstadt, once known more for her pop hits, has embraced Mex-Tex and Mariachi big band culture and enjoyed great acclaim and success in this stage of her prolific career).

"Ronstadt's involvement" Gay.comwrites, "made us want to know more about the cultural experiences of being LGBT in the Latino/Hispanic community."

Anyway, who knows? Perhaps Gay.com will get some good feedback and profile a number of groovy gay Latinos. But, just as Gay.com tells Ms. Ronstadt that "something needs to be done to bridge the gay gap in the Hispanic community", perhaps Gay.com also needs to do something about the fact that, in this day and age, they seem to have no clue about LGBT Latinos nor seem to know any out LGBT Latinos they could have interviewed on these topics.

Are Californians ready to try again on marriage equality?

2009-08-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

Is it too soon to try for marriage equality again in California? Some major funders of last year’s failed “No on 8″ campaign, which opposed changing the state’s constitution to roll back marriage equality, say they aren’t convinced 2010 is the right time to once again put the issue to voters, according to an article in the New York Times.

David Bohnett, a philanthropist who invested heavily in “No on 8″ last year, said major funders are prepared to help a new campaign, as long as its the right campaign. ”In conversations with a number of my fellow major No on 8 donors, I find that they share my sentiment: namely, that we will step up to the plate — with resources and talent — when the time is right. The only thing worse than losing in 2008 would be to lose again in 2010,” Bohnett said.

One key player in the next battle will likely be Marc Solomon, marriage director for Equality California. In gauging whether or not the organization should put its muscle behind a 2010 statewide ballot initiative or wait for more favorable conditions in 2012, Solomon said political experts and the public polling suggest 2010 may be too early. ”I expected having watched the protests and the real pain that the L.G.B.T. community had experienced that there would be some real measurable remorse in the electorate. But if you look at the poll numbers since November, they really haven’t moved at all,” Solomon said.

But not everyone agrees with the funders and political experts. Younger activists, energized by the loss last year, want to move ahead quickly, according to some LGBT rights advocates.

What is it about Sarah?

2009-07-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

Ten months ago, no one could have anticipated the contempt and loathing Sarah Palin has faced, particularly from high profile members of the left. She has experienced, or been victim of, the worst our political system can dish out. Leaving this ugly spectacle behind for the sake of her family is perfectly understandable and probably the right thing to do
but Is Sarah Palin more a victim of her own success?

Did KRXQ go too far with Transgender comments?

2009-06-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

Morning drive show ”Rob, Arnie and Dawn” has ceased broadcasting until June 11th following advertiser and listener backlash due to a controversial segment bashing transgender and cross-dressing teens.

Chipotle, Snapple and Sonic are among nine advertisers withdrawing crucial business from the show in protest of the May 28th broadcast. During the show, 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.”

Host Rob Williams concurred.

“A boy who wears a dress is a freak. He’s a nut.”

The pair went on to admonish transgender people and their supporters to “stop hiding behind research and laws.” It bears repeating that some studies indicate gay, lesbian and transgender teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.

In a headache-inducing, all-caps statement made on their website, the hosts had this to say for themselves:

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.

LB news paper makes....

2009-05-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

This cartoon was published in the Long Beach
Gazette. I think it's objectionable, but I welcome your thoughts.

YOU DECIDE: Did Miss California’s Answer Cost Her the Crown?

2009-04-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

While we do live in a land where there is freedom of speech, we hope that people who represent us, even those who wear Vaseline on their teeth and can walk and wave while turning their hand at the wrist at the same time at least have a general understanding of what is at stake in the fight for marriage equality.

Somewhere, former Miss South Carolina Caitlin Upton is having a really good laugh.

At this weekend's Miss USA pageant, Perez Hilton, posed the following question to Miss California, Carrie Prejean, and the answer set a new standard in bad beauty pageant interview answers:

“Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?” Hilton asked.

And ..ladies and gentlemen... this is how Miss California responded:

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

There were cheers and there were reportedly “boos” for the first time in pageant history.

Ultimately, Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton, was crowned Miss USA at the Hard Rock Café Resort and Casino on Sunday evening.

Miss California was first runner up.

Check out her response below:

It kinda makes you miss Lauren Katlin - Miss South Carolina:

Really? Texican Whopper? Really?!?

2009-04-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sound a little familiar? We all remember the Taco Bell Chihuahua! That campaign caused quite a stir among Mexicans and other Latin Americans as well. Is it really necessary to offend an entire segment of the population just to sell fast food? Do you find these ads offensive?

Burger King recently launched an ad campaign in Spain for their Texican Whopper which is causing quite a controversy. The Whopper is topped with taco-coated chili con carne, spicy jalapenos, onion, lettuce and Cajun mayonnaise and is described in the advertisement as “inspired by the land where a man ain’t afraid to sink his teeth into something spicy.”

The TV ad depicts a diminutive Mexican wrestler alongside a cowboy and describes the Texican as "The taste of Texas with a little spicy Mexican." In an accompanying print ad, the wrestler is wearing the Mexican flag as a cloak. Mexico has very strict laws covering the use of its flag and this is not the first time Mexico’s national flag has been improperly portrayed. Just last year, Mexico fined foreign-owned publishing house, Random House Mondadori for disrespecting the country’s flag in an online video.

Mexico’s ambassador to Spain, Jose Zermeno, criticized the ad, declaring in a letter to Burger King that it, “improperly used the stereotypical image of Mexicans.” Zermeno also asked for Burger King to pull the ad and apologize for offending Mexican cuisine.

Gay Bashing at a Sports Bar: What Do You Do?

2009-03-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

ABC News Tested Americans' increasing open-mindedness, they staged a verbal gay-bashing scenario at a local sports bar in Linden, N.J. They hired actor Vince August to play a homophobic patron. Dusty St. Amand and Dominic Benevento, a gay couple in real life, played the targets of his slurs. Two additional actors, Traci Hovel and Brad Lee Wind, played a heterosexual couple at the opposite end of the bar.

States Revisit Immigration Laws for who's convince?

2009-03-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

In Iowa, Democratic state Rep. Bruce Hunter wants to repeal a law that makes English the state's official language and requires most government documents to be in English. "It's really sent out the wrong message about the state of Iowa," he says.

The Madison County (Ala.) Commission last August toned down a policy that requires businesses bidding for contracts to sign a pledge saying they don't knowingly employ illegal immigrants. The change was part of a settlement with a company that was late in submitting the pledge and did not win the contract.

The new pledge no longer says county officials can inspect contractors' personnel records.

"I would prefer it to be much stronger," says Commissioner Mo Brooks, author of the original policy. After studying legal opinions and federal law, though, the commission had no other choice, he says.

In Utah, two legislators, one from each party, have proposed delaying implementation of a law set to take effect in July. The bill's provisions include a requirement that government agencies check the legal status of new hires against a federal database.

Republican state Rep. Stephen Clark, author of one proposal, wants to delay the bill for a year to study the economic impact of illegal immigrants on the state.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., a Republican, supports a delay, says spokeswoman Lisa Roskelley.especially when we don't know whether illegal immigration is a financial plus or minus to the state."

convience?

BLOG QUESTION: L.A Mayor Heavy Hitter or Hollywood Type.

2009-03-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Mayor Villaraigosa, arguably one of the most high profile big city Latino mayors in the country is cruising toward a second term as mayor, people are wondering if he will deliver on some of his promises and stay in City Hall or attempt to make the jump to the governor’s office.

As many have noted, there isn’t a camera that Mayor Villaraigosa doesn’t like. He’s always photo-op ready with his big, pearly white, mega-watt smile and designer duds. Villaraigosa is one of the best dressed Latino politicos, but image isn’t everything, especially when the economic forecast is gloomy and he cannot point to any big policy victories. The AP (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h10wH51Jd3vs3z-KdEBsPQKEYTgAD96KN40O0) article that came out yesterday asked in its headline, “LA mayor: Heavy hitter or Hollywood hype?”

The following gets to the essence of his record for the last few years:
“Crime rates were heading down when Villaraigosa took office in 2005, and they have continued to decline under the stewardship of Police Chief William Bratton, who was installed by James Hahn, the mayor Villaraigosa defeated four years ago. Safer streets are a cornerstone of his campaign pitch.

However, Villaraigosa’s signature plan to take control of schools was blocked in court, and a one-in-three dropout rate is unchanged. Traffic is considered the most snarled in America, and a badly needed subway extension from downtown to Santa Monica might be a generation away, despite strong lobbying by Villaraigosa.
He promised to plant a million trees in a city starved for parks, but so far only a fraction of that number have gone into the ground. A bid for the 2016 Olympics flopped on his watch. And the mayor’s biggest moment in the national spotlight during his first term was the result of his marriage-ending affair with a TV newscaster.

Villaraigosa regrets his playboy-at-City Hall episode but argues he’s built a foundation for change by hiring 700 additional police officers, helping push through higher sales taxes to fund mass transit, promoting green power and pushing clean-air rules at the polluted port.”

Since the AP did not post this article where readers could chime in with their opinions about Villaraigosa directly. I’m giving you the opportunity to do so. I’m of the opinion that he is full of Hollywood hype, but he will certainly have a chance to become more successful on substantive policy issues in Los Angeles, assuming he does not run for governor. I would like to see him succeed. There is no point in wishing failure upon Villaraigosa, as some in the GOP have decided to do with President Obama. So what do you think?

Who should run L.A.'s parking meters?

2009-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

Are the city's meters better off in the hands of the public or private sector? Another question: Would such a deal prevent the L.A. City Council from sometimes funneling excess parking meter revenue to their pet projects?

In a bid to potentially raise hundreds of millions of dollars or more for ailing city coffers, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is exploring whether to lease the cityʼs parking structures and meters to a private party to operate.
The mayor in recent weeks has quietly begun building a team of financial experts and attorneys who could advise him in structuring a deal. In December, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley -- whose city is also grappling with a big budget hole -- signed a deal that gave his city $1.15 billion in up-front cash in exchange for leasing the cityʼs roughly 36,000 meters for 75 years to infrastructure funds overseen by Morgan Stanley. (Here's a link to Daley's news release on the deal, and here's a link to a Chicago City Council agenda from December with more details of the deal).
How does the deal work? Morgan Stanley gets to keep all revenue from the meters for the 75 years. That's a nice stream of cash that currently amounts to about $20 million annually but will probably be more after significant rate hikes that were part of the deal go into effect.
And what's in it for Chicago's citizens? First and foremost, a big shot of cash that the city otherwise wouldn't have. More than $600 million is going into balancing the city's budget through 2012, and another $400 million is being set aside to generate interest to replace the meter revenue lost.
But it is the deal's fine print that raised eyebrows. As part of the deal, the city significantly raised meter rates for the first time in years, in some cases quadrupling them. The city also required Morgan Stanley to install better meters and retained the right to both write parking tickets and keep parking ticket revenue. However, Morgan Stanley won the right to do "supplemental enforcement" -- meaning the parking concessionaire they hire can also write tickets to help teach people what happens if they forget to plug meters.
"The mayor intends to move forward with a parking structure deal that makes the most sense for the long-term fiscal health of the city," said Matt Szabo, a Villaraigosa press secretary. "We are also aggressively exploring the possibility of a private partnership for the operation of the city's parking meters.
"While it's cliche to say the devil is in the details, in this case it really is," he added. "The final proposals will be fully vetted before the council, and will receive a thorough hearing before the public. But the mayor is confident that, even in this tough economy, we can implement a much smarter, more efficient way to provide parking services in this city while generating the revenue to preserve other critical city services at the same time."
The city of Los Angeles has managed about 43,000 parking meters for decades, and the results are there for everyone to see: Until a recent meter replacement project got underway, about 10% to 15% of the meters were broken at any given time, either because of vandalism or mechanical failure. Unlucky motorists who legally park at failed meters have also found they have a habit of resetting to healthy mode, often resulting in a ticket when a meter officer wandered past.

Parking meter rates increase, how is it affecting you?

2009-02-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

Parking Rate Increase while Decreases Parking

As many may have noticed, the City has decided to raise the price you pay at parking meters, and those increases have been showing up all around town. In Lincoln Heights for instance, the parking lot behind the 99¢ has increased the rates by 400%. One dollar an hour might not seem that much to some, but it’s really exorbitant for many working people.

What is the effect of these crazy prices? Nobody is parking in the parking lot. This is around 11:30 on Sunday Feb 15, a time when this lot would normally be almost full from people shopping on N. Broadway. Like many others, I went and found a spot on the non-metered neighborhood streets nearby. This is a crazy sight, If you’ve ever been in this lot on a pre-increase day, you’ll know what I mean.

Obama is no pushover.

2009-02-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

So where is the guy who once symbolized hope? Well, he is still there. Roughed up a little already, but still there. Barack Obama has a tough act to pull off. He must simultaneously petrify people and also restore their confidence. He must scare us to death and calm our fears.

He must convince the nation that the times are so dire we must carry out his bold plans immediately, and then he must persuade us to be patient and give his plans time to work.

Obama gave two shows Monday: a matinee in Elkhart, Ind., and an evening performance in Washington. He was calm and forceful at both. He made one joke at his town meeting in Elkhart about drinking beer and one joke at his news conference in Washington about how much Joe Biden talks (always good for a laugh).

But other than that, he was utterly serious. Make that grim.

Some people who have lost their jobs "have no idea what to do or who to turn to," he said at the news conference. Some people are going hungry, and food banks "don't have enough to meet the demand."
He used phrases like "full-blown crisis" and "vicious cycle." And he said that unless we do something quickly, "we may be unable to reverse" the crisis we face.

Nor should his stimulus and bailout plans, as massive as they are, be considered a complete fix. "Given the magnitude of the challenges we have, any single thing we do is going to be part of solution and not all of the solution," he said.

"The party," he said, "now is over."

No kidding.

Oh, and the war in Afghanistan isn't going that well either. "It is going to be difficult" to win there, and "I do not yet have a timetable for how long it is going to take," he said.

And for those who look for relief in sports, don't look for relief in sports.

It was that kind of day.

The massive spending bill Obama is now shepherding through Congress is not how he envisioned spending his time. "Look, I would love not to have to spend money right now," he said. "The thought that I came in here ginned up to spend $800 billion, that wasn't how I envisioned my presidency beginning."

But that is how it is beginning. If we unite, however, and "change our bad habits" and Congress agrees to do something, then we can climb out of this. Slowly. Not this year.

"My hope is after a difficult year - - and this is going to be a difficult year - - if we get things right, starting next year we can see things improving," Obama said.

But he also said: "I am absolutely confident that we can solve this problem."

What he refuses to do, however, "is return to the failed theories of the last eight years, which got us into this fix in the first place."

Which means that, contrary to what Republicans tell us, government is not the problem, government is the solution and right now the government is going to have to spend a lot of money to get us out of this mess.

"As long as I hold this office, I will do whatever it takes to put this country back to work," Obama promised. "I have full faith and confidence."

We can do it, he said. We must change our attitudes and ways and act swiftly and decisively even though some in Congress want to do nothing.

Which is what Congress is best at, isn't it?

But don't worry. Things will get better.

"I am the eternal optimist," Obama said

I am glad that somebody is.

Is ESPN's latest NBA ad homophobic? Does a basketball bounce?

2009-02-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

It wouldn't feel like Super Bowl Sunday without some sort of homophobic sports ad controversy popping up and, sure enough, one has. Ironically, however, it has nothing to do with Super Bowl 43.Rather this controversy has to do with the following ad which recently ran on ESPN starring Shaquille O'Neal Great, another ad playing on the idea that men being affectionate with each other is something objectionable. So objectionable that it provokes Shaq to call it "weird" and "disgusting" and causes him to move away. What were you thinking ESPN? That being said, keep in mind, that ESPN has a pretty good record on gay issues and that Shaq himself helped chase down some gay-bashers a couple of years ago and has stated he'd protect a gay teammate.

CHANGE.....

2009-01-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

Obama is now our 44th president and CHANGE will occur, but my issue is that there's an assumption that this one man is going to take on his new job full-time and somehow wave a magic wand of change, and I don't believe that to be true.
I think that we have to be the CHANGE, I think that we as a nation have to be leaders of the movement that we want to create and stop waiting for the change to happen, and create it.

New Years resolutions?

2009-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

So I know we all make them, although most of us wont ever.. ever admit to them. So here is your chance to admit to the ' resolution ' that you've made this year and you can even post under ' annonymous '. Mine is quiet simple, I just want to go forward not look back, dont want to wear my heart on my sleeves and always stay true to myself, and this year I will do the ' AIDS LIFE CYCLE ' and will complete it ( fingers crossed ).

Virgen de Guadalupe? or coincidence.....

2008-12-15T17:07:00.000-08:00

Playboy, based in Chicago, has offered its "sincerest apologizes" for the newest issue of its Mexican edition, which seems to poke irreverent (some would say lewd) fun at the Virgin Mary.

The magazine's cover features a model clad (barely) in a white cloth, in front of a stained glass window. The headline, "Te adoramos, Maria," means in English, "We love you Mary," or "We love you, Maria." (The model is Maria Florencia Onori.)

The magazine hit the stands on Dec. 1 -- seven days before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church; and 11 days before an even bigger holiday in Mexico, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, commemorating the supposed appearance of the Virgin to a Mexican peasant, Juan Diego, in 1531.

In its apology, Playboy said the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and that the parent company did not approve the cover.

"While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies," the company said.

Raul Sayrols, publisher of Playboy Mexico, said: "The image is not and never was intended to portray the Virgin of Guadalupe or any other religious figure. The intent was to reflect a Renaissance-like mood on the cover."

ALPHA GAYS?

2008-12-09T16:24:00.000-08:00

After reading the article do you agree with the ' new breed ' of gay male? or is it just another marketing approach for our money?

Details magazine, that closeted little glossy, reports on a new breed of power, cash and ego-swinging male: the Alpha Gay."Make way for the A-gays. Moneyed, successful, educated, and comfortable in their own skin, they're fast becoming the new archetype of cosmopolitan masculinity. The urban man's man. They don't own yappy miniature dogs or time-shares in Fort Lauderdale; they own Labradors and four-bedroom summer homes in Sag Harbor."So, who's an A-gay?

Tom Ford.

Who's not?

Carson Kressley.

And who's at the bottom of the pecking order of power-gays?

The Corky St. Claire's of the world. You know the type: A bleached-tipped-dandy with a fold-out soap box who, when not "advocating" for some gay issue (take your pic here: gay marriage, AIDS, whatever - it's really an excuse to talk to mostly disinterested people about his life, workout habits, issues with food and his circle of bottom-rung 'mos) is usually on the arm of some overweight chica who knows not what an A-gay really is and so puts the trainwreck, C-list gay, on a pedestal. '

http://men.style.com/details/blogs/thegadabout/2008/11/the-rise-of-the.html

Toy Drive to benefit ' Para Los Ninos '

2008-12-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

Deadline is Dec 15.

Vatican Attacked For Opposing Gay De-Criminalization

2008-12-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Today, a strongly worded editorial in Italy`s mainstream 'La Stampa' newspaper said the Vatican`s reasoning was `grotesque`.

Gay rights groups and newspaper editorials on Tuesday condemned the Vatican for its decision to oppose a proposed U.N. resolution calling on governments worldwide to de-criminalize homosexuality.
The row erupted after the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations told a French Catholic news agency the Holy See would oppose the resolution, which France is due to propose later this month on behalf of the 27-member European Union.

Archbishop Celestino Migliore said the Vatican opposed the resolution because it would "add new categories of those protected from discrimination" and could lead to reverse discrimination against traditional heterosexual marriage.

"If adopted, they would create new and implacable discriminations," Migliore said. "For example, states which do not recognize same-sex unions as 'matrimony' will be pilloried and made an object of pressure," Migliore said.

Pointing out that homosexuality was still punishable by death in some Islamic countries, the editorial said what the Vatican really feared was a "chain reaction in favor of legally recognized homosexual unions in countries, like Italy, where there is currently no legislation"
.
Franco Grillini, founder and honorary president of Arcigay, Italy's leading gay rights group, said the Vatican's reasoning smacked of "total idiocy and madness".

"The French resolution, which is supported by all 27 members of the European Union, has nothing to do with gay marriage. It is about stopping jail and the death penalty for homosexuals," Grillini told Reuters.
The resolution is to be presented by Rama Yade, France's state secretary for human rights.

Human rights groups say homosexuality is still punishable by law in more than 85 countries and by death in a number of them, including Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. Vatican spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi said "no-one wants the death penalty or jail or fines for homosexuals" but defended Migliore's comments, adding that the Vatican was in the majority on the issue.

"It's not for nothing that fewer than 50 member states of the United Nations have adhered to the proposal in question while more than 150 have not adhered. The Holy See is not alone," Lombardi said.
An editorial in Rome's left-leaning La Repubblica newspaper said the Vatican's position "leaves one dumbstruck". Margherita Boniver, a leading member of the Italy's leftist Democratic Party, called it "alarmingly anachronistic".

Grillini, the gay rights activist, said he feared what he called another "Holy Alliance" between the Vatican and Islamic states at the United Nations to oppose the proposed resolution.

At a major U.N. conference on the family in Cairo in 1994, the Vatican teamed up with Islamic and Latin American countries to defeat an abortion rights proposal.The Catholic Church teaches that while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are. But in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity and a wound"

Who supported the overturning of Prop 8, and who didnt want it to reach the supreme court.

2008-11-19T15:24:00.000-08:00

S168047
KAREN L. STRAUSS, et al., Petitioners v. MARK B. HORTON, et al.
Immediate Stay Request
Petitioner's Exhibits
Petitioner's Motion for Judicial Notice
Amended Petition
Motion to Intervene
Motion to Intervene by Official Proponents
Official Proponents Opposition to Motion by Campaign
Petitioners' Opposition to Motion to Intervene
Proposed Intervenor Campaign for Preliminary Opposition to Petitions
Request for Judicial Notice
Preliminary Opposition
Preliminary Response from the Attorney General

Letters submitted in support of petition:
The Bar Association of San Francisco et al.
Forty-Four Members of the State Legislature
Anti-Defamation League et al.
Beverly Hills Bar Association et al.
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Sacramento Lawyers for Equality of Gays and Lesbians et al.
Manning & Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez
Constitutional Law Center (Monterey College of Law)
Hastings College of the Law
Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein
Richards, Watson, & Gershon
The Ecumenical Catholic Church
Donna M. Ryu (Hastings College of the Law)

Letters requesting denial of petition and request for stay:
The Pacific Justice Institute
Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (Chapman University Law)
Steven Meiers Kingdom of Heaven
American Center for Law and Justice

S168066
ROBIN TYLER, et al.,
Petitioners v. STATE OF CALIFORNIA, et al.
Immediate Stay Request
Amended Petition
Motion to Intervene
Motion to Intervene by Official Proponents
Official Proponents Opposition to Motion by Campaign
Proposed Intervenor Campaign for Preliminary Opposition to Petitions
Preliminary Opposition
Preliminary Response from the Attorney General
Debra Bowen's Preliminary Response
Letter from counsel for petitioners in response to letter submitted by Pacific Justice League

Letters submitted in support of petition:
Beverly Hills Bar Association et al.
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Sacramento Lawyers for Equality of Gays and Lesbians et al.
Manning & Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez
Constitutional Law Center (Monterey College of Law)

Letters requesting denial of petition and request for stay:
The Pacific Justice Institute
Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (Chapman University Law)
American Center for Law and Justice

S168078CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO et al.
Petitioners v. MARK B. HORTON, et al.
Petition for Writ of Mandate
Amended Petition
Motion to Intervene
Motion to Intervene by Official Proponents
Official Proponents Opposition to Motion by Campaign
Proposed Intervenor Campaign for Preliminary Opposition to Petitions
Judicial Notice
Preliminary Opposition
Preliminary Response from the Attorney General

Letters submitted in support of petition:
Beverly Hills Bar Association et al.
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Sacramento Lawyers for Equality of Gays and Lesbians et al.
Manning & Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez
Constitutional Law Center (Monterey College of Law)

Letters requesting denial of petition and request for stay:
The Pacific Justice Institute
Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence (Chapman University Law)
American Center for Law and Justice

S168281ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGAL CENTER, et al.,
Petitioners v. MARK B. HORTON, et al.
Petition for Writ of Mandate
Motion to Appear as Counsel Pro Hac Vice
Motion by Campaign to Intervene
Letter submitted in support of petition:Sacramento Lawyers for Equality of Gays and Lesbians et al.

S168302
EQUAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES AND CALIFORNIA WOMEN'S LAW CENTER,
Petitioners v. MARK B. HORTON, et al.
Petition for Writ of Mandate
Motion for Judicial Notice in Support of Petition
Motion by Campaign to Intervene

S168332
CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES, et al., Petitioners v. MARK B. HORTON, et al.
Petition for Writ of Mandate
Motion by Campaign to Intervene

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/highprofile/prop8.htm

El Pollo Loco/Proposition 8

2008-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

The franchise owner of the following El Pollo Locos in California donated money in support of Proposition 8. As one of my stand-by restaurants for any occasion, I will be boycotting the following locations owned by WKS Restaurant Corporation, owned by Roland Spongberg..(by Area Code)

(818)El Pollo Loco #3525 16940 Nordhoff St. Northridge, CA 91343-3526 (818) 895-1680

El Pollo Loco #3532 10651 Balboa Blvd. Granada Hills, CA 91344 phone: (818) 831-4044

El Pollo Loco #3467 4544 Saugus Ave. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 (818) 990-7655

(323)

El Pollo Loco #3526 3925 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90029(323) 665-1333

El Pollo Loco #3504 5151 State University Dr. CSULA Golden Eagle Bldg. Los Angeles, CA 90032 (323) 343-6728

El Pollo Loco #3507 1360 W. Imperial Hwy. Los Angeles, CA 90029 (323) 757-8229

El Pollo Loco #3528 6929 Eastern Av. Bell Gardens, CA 90201

(310)

El Pollo Loco #3531 3008 Sepulveda Blvd. W. Los Angeles, CA 90034 (310) 444-0010

El Pollo Loco #3461 7639 Garvey Ave. Rosemead, CA 91770 (626) 307-4394

(562)

El Pollo Loco #3457 2727 Carson St. Lakewood, CA 90712 (562) 496-1664

El Pollo Loco #3455 1212 S. Bellflower Blvd. CSULB-Student Union Bldg. Long Beach, CA 90804 (562) 985-2361

El Pollo Loco #3448 16707 Pioneer Blvd. Artesia, CA 90701 (562) 924-6918

El Pollo Loco #3392 2200 Clark Ave. Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 494-9691

El Pollo Loco #3322 3502 Cerritos Ave. Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (562) 626-8388

El Pollo Loco #3545 3425 E. Anaheim St. Long Beach, CA 90804 (562) 494-1343

El Pollo Loco #3488 11601 Carson St. Lakewood, CA 90712 (562) 924-2250

(951)

El Pollo Loco #3494 40468 Murrieta Hot Springs Rd. Murrieta, CA 92562 (951) 304-7082

El Pollo Loco #3521 32451 State Hwy 79. Temecula, CA 92592 (951)302-2611

El Pollo Loco #3495 117 W. Nuevo Road. Perris, CA 92571 (951) 943-4626

El Pollo Loco #3477 31550 Grape St. Lake Elsinore, CA 92532 (951) 245-1542

(949)

El Pollo Loco #3458 2232 S. Bristol St. Newport Beach, CA 92660 (949) 474-2120

El Pollo Loco #3490 21212 Bake Pkwy. Lake Forest, CA 92630 (949) 454-8312(714)

El Pollo Loco #3453 120 No. Euclid. Fullerton, CA 92832(661)

El Pollo Loco #3371 8200 Stockdale Hwy. Bakersfield, CA 93311 (661) 831-9443

El Pollo Loco #3476 2000 White Lane. Bakersfield, CA 93304 (661) 396-7639

El Pollo Loco #3475 3701 California Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93309 (661) 322-4887

(909)

El Pollo Loco #3506 1090 S. Mt. Vernon. Colton, CA 92324 (909) 777-0045

(858)

El Pollo Loco #3565 4330 Genessee Ave. San Diego, CA 92117 (858) 278-0355

El Pollo Loco #3564 8349 Mira Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92126 (858) 578-7553

(619)

El Pollo Loco #3563 3444 Midway Dr. San Diego, CA 92110 (619) 523-9904

El Pollo Loco #3562 494 Broadway. El Cajon, CA 92021 (619) 588-6034

And WKS owns this Denny's in Fontana

Denny's 17009 Valley Blvd. Fontana, CA 92335 (909) 822-8550

ETA: This is a complete list of all of the California El Pollo Locos and Dennys owned by WKS.Also, you can verify that Roland Spongberg (or anyone else) has donated in support of (or against) Prop 8 here.

No Gays For a day ( L.A Times Article ),

2008-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

What do you think about making DEC 5, a day in which we show the U.S how much they depend on our $$$$

Forget the marches against Prop. 8's passage. This will hit people where it hurts.
by: Joel Stein:

You wouldn't think gay people would need tips on staging a splashy event from Mexican immigrants. Yet since they lost the right to marry in California, gays appear to have no game plan, marching around West Hollywood and Silver Lake with their old "No on 8" signs, which makes about as much sense as holding a John McCain rally next month at John McCain's house. That's why I'm declaring Dec. 5 No Gays for a Day day. Patterned after the 2006 Great American Boycott organized by Latino immigrants, on that Friday, gays should stay home from work, school and do no shopping, to prove how crucial they are to American society. No Gays for a Day will demonstrate what it would be like if -- as so much of the non-coastal U.S. seems to desire -- gays just disappeared. You may not even know who all your daily gays are, so there's no predicting the impact. It probably won't shut down the restaurant industry like the immigrants did, but know this for certain: Dec. 5 will be a day that fashion does not move forward.To gauge this strategy's effectiveness, I called Sonja Eddings Brown, the spokesperson for the Protect Marriage coalition that put Proposition 8 -- which defined marriage as exclusively heterosexual -- on the ballot. Brown, to my surprise, sounded defeated. I reminded her that Proposition 8 passed, so maybe she should pep up a bit. "Did we win?" she asked. "It doesn't feel like it." When I ran No Gays for a Day by her, Brown said, "I have so many dear friends who are such invaluable parts of this city and California who are gay." It was the boldest use of "some of my best friends are ... " I had ever heard. My main concern about enacting my plan is that I'm not gay. And my previous attempt as an outsider to rally folks to a cause was a miserable failure: Right before I applied to college, I suggested Asian students protest being stereotyped as overachievers by skipping the SAT. Also, I'm really lazy. So I called Amy Balliett for help. Balliett is a lesbian in Seattle who, just last Friday, created JoinTheImpact.com, which has organized an expected 250,000 people nationwide to march Saturday in protest of Proposition 8. Balliett immediately embraced No Gays for a Day as JoinTheImpact's second event. We worked out some kinks, like "pretending you are sick" for people who aren't out of the closet at work. For economic impact, we picked a Friday -- one of the big shopping days before Christmas and the day People, Us Weekly and Star usually sell out at newsstands. We also decided that because this is a general strike, not a directed boycott, even gay-owned, gay-patronized businesses should shut down. "I hate to say this, but we should even say, 'Don't even go out to the bars,' " she said. "I just don't know if the community can stick to that." To get media attention, Balliett -- a search-engine marketer -- is going to use the social networking sites she used for Saturday's march. Although that sounded promising, I decided to hunt for a No Gays for a Day celebrity spokesperson. I chose Kathy Griffin because she's so well connected to the gay community and because it's hard to get Ellen DeGeneres on the phone at 10 p.m. when you're drinking and coming up with ideas like No Gays for a Day.Griffin -- who is a spokesperson for the Foundation for AIDS Research, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Aid for AIDS and, I'm guessing, AIDS, AIDS, AIDS -- was thrilled to get the official celebrity spokesperson job. And she thought our impact would be significant. "Forget Pinkberry. It's over for them. They could go under in one day," she said. "If you do two days without gays, Bravo would go under too." People, we figure, will have no assistance at libraries or gym class and will madly butcher their hair. Subaru dealerships shouldn't bother opening. Entertainment journalism will take such a hit, TMZ will have to report hockey scores. Griffin was getting more excited about our plan until I mentioned this might slow up the remodel of her house. "My remodel? What about the audience for my shows? The only reason I'm doing this is on Dec. 5, I don't have a show. I'd never do this if I had a show that day in Palm Desert," she said. Then -- and you'll have to trust me that this actually happened -- Griffin got quiet for a few seconds. "If my assistants don't go to work," she said, "who's going to go to the bathroom for me? I'm screwed on a day without gays. I've made a huge error in judgment. Me, Cher and Bette Midler are going to be the three most screwed Americans. We all might actually die that day. And what if Ryan Seacrest doesn't go to work? The state will collapse. This will wake up California."But Griffin decided No Gays for a Day is a cause worthy of her suffering. Now the rest of the world will find out what Griffin has known all along: We need our gays. If it turns out I'm wrong, and we don't miss them, then as a married man, I can tell you this: The best way to keep them at home is to let them get married

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stein14-2008nov14,0,2377851.column

MADONNA: Gay rights anyone?

2008-11-14T13:11:00.000-08:00

Do you think that MADONNA should have spoken more about PROP 8 as other celebrities did? Or do you think it was smart for her to be on the OBAMA trail, have T-shirts with his image made and sold on tour , walk around stage wearing a T-shirt of him, while only taking 3 sec on a concert in L.A on Nov 6 ( 2 days after the election ) to say ' we have an African American in the White house, we should also have Gay marraige '

How far is too far?

2008-11-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

Sure all of these protests have gotten the cause much needed attention and focus in the community, but when does it go too far? Should we respect that traditions that were taught to us when we were kids and respect all churches, no matter what they do, or is it all's fair in love and war?

With all of these protests going on About Prop 8...

2008-11-07T11:26:00.000-08:00

Do you think that they are helping out our cause, or sending us further back?