Gay Marriage.....

More great information from the folks at Fivethirtyeight.
Right now, it's possible to marry your same-sex partner in Buenos Aires, in Mexico City, in Ames, Iowa, and in Pretoria, South Africa, but not in San Francisco. With countries like Argentina and Portugal now recognizing same-sex marriages, however, the global trajectory has returned to its slow-but-steady upward pace.

I have posted about this guy before. This guy has served his Country with distinction for years. He should be given a medal and a big thank you. Not be kicked out because he is gay! The American tax paying public should be outraged over this.

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Will the Gov or anyone else Listen?

This week candidate Audrey Britton (Minnesota House 43A) Sent a letter to the Governor. The state of MN is facing very serious budget problems and someone needs to be talking about a solution now.



Britton writes to Governor requesting mandated budget submittal
July 9, 2010

Governor Tim Pawlenty
Office of the Governor 130 State Capitol
St. Paul, MN 55155

Dear Governor Pawlenty,

According to Chapter 5 of HF 886 that you signed into law March 2, 2009, you are required to submit a balanced budget for 2010 and 2011, and to provide for a balanced general fund budget in fiscal years 2012 and 2013. My understanding is that the budget, due Jan. 28, 2010, left a structural deficit of $2.5 billion. The session ended with a $3 billion deficit and a $5-7 billion deficit is forecasted by November.

It now appears that the state may not be able to meet its financial obligations without short-term borrowing. This is a fiscal crisis for our state, a concern that rises above partisanship and concerns for political careers.

Since launching my campaign in May 2010, I have knocked on 2000 doors and have heard from hundreds of voters who say that fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget ranks among their top concerns. I am confident that this concern extends beyond Medicine Lake and Plymouth, to voters all across Minnesota.

It is time to move beyond partisanship. We need a willingness to take a long-range, strategic and comprehensive approach to budgeting. One-prong, simplistic approaches make for good sound bites but are having a devastating effect on our State. We cannot cut our way, tax our way—or borrow our way—out of this predicament.

I ask that there be no more postponing in addressing this matter. As a candidate, I do not have the resources and staff afforded to you as governor to develop a comprehensive and fiscally responsible budget. Please use the resources given to your office by the citizens of Minnesota to provide some real, long-term solutions to this fiscal crisis.

Sincerely,


Audrey Britton
Candidate for Minnesota House of Representatives (43A), Plymouth and Medicine Lake
(612) 807-0311

Life, liberty ....

I love this Country as much, maybe more than most. I fully understand the struggle that so many have gone through to make this the best place on the planet! But, I will also admit that We still have some work to do. Only when there is true Equality Under the Law, only when all men truly are created EQUAL will we live up to our true potential.

Enough!

This is a story that has been on my mind for three months now. I grew up in this small town. I will be the first to admit that my memories of my time there are mixed. It was a very small, comfortable, cozy place to grow up - at least until I was grown up enough to pay attention to what was going on around me and form my own opinion. As a small kid there was a big sense of community and trust. You really were not in fear of anything. You never worried about things that those in the "big city" did. As I grew older it was apparent that because my last name was not one of "those" last names or because my family was not in the right income bracket or the fact that I was being raised by a single mother -I would have to work a little harder to be a part of the "in" crowd. Please don't get me wrong, for a time I felt like there was no better place on the planet and the town was filled with the most caring, loving people in the world. Even after I was treated horribly by people I thought I could trust I still felt like there was no place I would have rather grown up. I won't go into the situation that caused me to move away from this town, get my own apartment and finish school (when I was in the 10th grade). It was one of the most heart wrenching experiences of my life. But it taught me many valuable lessons about honesty, trust, friendship and standing up for what you know is right- even if it means standing alone!

I learned a long time ago that people in this small can be some of the most caring people but also they are very judgemental of those that are not in there little "click" Di spite this and my experience the town of Malvern and it's people still held a very special place in my heart. My grandmother con tinted to live there after I moved and I visited her often. I also kept up on what was going on in town by getting the Malvern Leader! I had long ago gotten over my feelings of anger and bitterness toward the town and it's people. I had "reconnected" with a few former classmates, friends and all my "bad" times seemed to be replaced with fondness for the small town values and sense of community that I thought we all learned growing up in Malvern.

But then....

I got the news about this "sex abuse" case came out. I can not begin to explain the pure shock and disbelief I felt when I was first told about it. I had a lot of respect for Karl Hertz. He had buried the grandparents I loved and many, many relatives. I work in the area of Criminal Law, so hearing things like this this case do not shock me. What shocked me was that a person like Karl could be responsible for doing such a thing. That my little safe, loving, cozy hometown could have someone so evil. And not just ONE person but at least another. Then after the story broke there were people commenting that Karl was such a great guy, that he did so much for the community. To read those comments was to take me back to my time in Malvern when I did nothing wrong but was accused of crap and not many were willing to stand with me. I knew I had done nothing wrong despite all the false accusations against me. I suffered for months with name calling, stupid pranks and things being thrown at my house. I also quickly learned how rumors can take on a life of their own and how some with a "name" could get away with just about anything. So, when I first heard the news of this case I was not one to rush to judgment. But as I heard more it was clear to me that something was seriously wrong in the little "Norman Rockwell" town I grew up in. For people to simply dismiss the accusations by the young men simply because Karl "did so many good things for the community" Made me sick. Then I learned that apparently several people have known about this behavior for years but did nothing! To me, that was the most shocking. That people could simply look the other way and let there be other victims because it was "Karl Hertz" was just plain disgusting to me! Some even wanted to blame the victims saying they were just looking for money. Well, if you look at how some reacted even AFTER Karl killed himself, is it any wonder they did not come forward sooner??

I wrote the above a few nights ago. My intent was to continue with my thoughts about this story. But I am really just very conflicted to be able to put into words how I feel not just about this story but the small town that it seems allowed this to happen. The small town that taught me so much about people. I really have some very strong feelings -good and bad about this story and the people in Malvern. But, On Friday night I met a young man at a bar. He was 25 years old. He works for an organization that helps feed starving kids around the world. Talking to him really made me think about just what is important in life. Talking with him also reminded me of the guy I met in DC a few weeks ago. He told me the story of how he needed kidney and his partner was a match. So, his partner gave him a kidney. He told me how much "red tape" they had to go through. Because they can not be married and such they had to do all kinds of paper work just to be sure that if something happened during the operation the other would be able to visit etc. He told me that going through that experience prompted him to go work for a US Congressman and his partner to go to law school - all to work toward changing the law so that other do not have to experience the same thing. On that same trip I met two young men that were serving in the Military. They had been together for 4 years. They met while on duty in Iraq. Two men who answered the call to service in the name of our country, yet they had to hide their relationship. To them Don't Ask Don't tell is not some abstract policy that is debated by both political parities for political gain but a policy that means that if one of them is killed in action, the will not notify the other, a policy that means if the military finds out they are gay could discharge them, a policy that does not provide housing and a dozen other benefits for the "spouse" of the other. I also met two women who were living in South Carolina that were raising two of the most adorable kids. You might be asking what the hell does any of this have to do with the "sex scandal" in Malvern. Well, meeting these people and hearing their stories has helped serve as a reminder to me that there really are much more important things in the world than the opinion of small mined people in my hometown. I am not in any way trying to down play the seriousness of the charges in this case. Nor am I trying to say that what the victims suffered is not horrible. I am simply saying that I am not going to let the attitude of some people in that small town consume me with anger or hate. I learned a long time ago that most in that small town are more concerned about "appearance" than anything else. They will say one thing to your face and another behind your back. They will pretend to be your friend until it no longer will help them advance their agenda etc. I have experienced this first hand. My experience with the people in Malvern helped shape the rest of my life and I can truly say I am better for it.

More on DADT

I can not begin to tell you how upset I am becoming with President Obama and Congress for not getting this reapeal done already. When running for President Mr. Obama said the only thing lacking on this issue was leadership and he would provide that leadership on day ONE and get it done. Well, we are long past day one and many men and women are putting their life on the line for all of us and yet living under this crazy policy. The only federal law that requires a person be discriminated against.

I have personally talked with both my US Senators as well as 3 of the House members. Each told me they were in favor of repealing the law.

Lets just get it done!

Ricky Martin is GAY???

I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.

Those words above were from a quote by Ricky Martin on his website.

When I first saw the headline I will admit I sort of laughed about it. But then I read the statement on his website. It really made me think about the struggle I had years ago coming out to my best friend. It was not an easy decision at all. Sometimes you might think a person already knows -but you can never be sure!

To take that first step, to tell someone you trust, respect and love is giant step and not something that is done easily. The first person I ever came out to was my best friend Chris. Chris was a friend that I really enjoyed spending time with, that I had grown close to -I had also grown close to his family and had come to love them like my own family. I had so much respect for his father. To me, they were the "perfect family" that I never really had growing up. His parents, he and his brother were all so close. They talked, laughed and even sat and had dinner together. His family was also very, very good to me. At a time when I was out on my own- a Jr. in High school, working 2 full time jobs, in my own apartment -just trying to make it- they reached out to me and took me in as one of their own. I would end up spending a lot of time at their house- eating dinner, playing basketball, or watching the news with Chris and his dad. They even asked me to move in with them - and I really wanted to. But for a few reasons (mostly other family not wanting me to) I didn't. Over the next few years I will still spend a lot of time with Chris and his family. I would go on vacation to MO with them, go to the sand pit, spend holidays with them or the thing I loved most - Just spending time at their house -watching the news (and talking news/politics with his dad)

Then as I started to come to the realization that I was gay - I started to spend time away from the city I was living in. I would drive 4 hours away to go to a "gay" bar or to meet other "gay guys". At that point Chris and his family had become so much a part of my daily life that it became hard for me to explain to them where I was, what I was doing etc. So for me the best thing was to just spend less time with him/them so that I did not have to lie to them.

Eventually, I decided that I could not keep lying to Chris any longer. One night we were doing what we so often did - ride around town all night long in my truck. I remember wanting to finally tell him -but again not so sure it was the right thing to do. I was worried about his reaction, his fathers reaction. I had never spoken those words to anyone (not even myself). But finally after hours of riding around I told Chris I had a problem I needed to tell him about and I was not sure how he was going to take the news. He said "Brad you can tell me anything" I then told him, "well this is kind of a big problem, I have never told anyone about this" He then asked if I was having family problems, or problems with money. I assured him that this was a "different kind of problem" Finally, I just told him. And I WILL NEVER FORGET HIS REACTION. The first thing he said was "well, first you need to stop calling it a problem - because it is not" He then gave me a hug. I can tell you, without hesitation, that night, that conversation changed my life. Chis and his family meant so much to me -more than my own family- that I could have cared less if anyone else had 'rejected me' Chris was the only person in my life that I really wanted to remain in my life forever. The fact that he was 'ok' with it meant the world to me.

I really don't know how things would have turned out had Chis not been the great guy (and raised by such great parents) that he was that night. I can tell you that when I later came out to my parents I told them that I didn't really care what their reaction was - that I had told the person that meant the most to me already -and so there reaction didn't mean as much.

The night I came out to Chris he told me that his brother and his parents loved me like family and that they too would be "ok' with it. However, I was just not ready to take that next step. I asked him not to tell anyone. It was several years later when one night at home my phone rang -I answered it and it was Chris's dad on the other end. I had not spoken to him in awhile (or just had brief conversations with him). Lee was a very upfront person so he came right out and said it...."Brad, I don't want you to be mad at Chris -but tonight I asked him why you stopped coming around so much. And he told me what you had told him and I want you to know that I love you like you were my own son, and I don't give a damn if your gay" I had both a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. He then said "I only feel bad that you felt like you could not tell me" It really is hard for me to explain the love and respect I had for Lee. He was this great loving family guy - but also this tough viet nam vet - whose politics I was not sure agreed with mine. The fact that I can still recall what I was doing when I got that phone call from him -all those years ago -and exactly what he said should tell you how much it meant to me.

Chris and his family treated me the same after I came out to them as they did before -with the love and respect.

There is so much more I could say about Chris and his family (and some day when I write my book I will) but for now I just want to tell Chris -thanks and I love you. From the time I met him at that crazy summer camp there has been no better friend in the world.