Heresy Trial - Wisconsin Right Strikes Again

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Thursday June 16, 2011 · 5:06 PM PDT

2011/06/16 · 17:06

I don’t diary very often – those that know me here know me primarily through comments. But I have occasionally referenced my Mom, a retired United Methodist pastor and former district superintendent and cabinet dean for the UMC in the Northern Illinois conference. My Kos tagline references the book she wrote and published last year about both her own experience of having been married to a closeted gay man (my dad) and how that experience affected her perceptions of the trial of Rev. Greg Dell in a similar UMC circus to the one she describes below more than a decade ago. Rev. Dell was my own pastor at the time.

I have since left the UMC- thinking the fight for GLBT equality there hopeless. She chose, bravely, to stay and fight. For the last year she has been very involved in the defense team for Rev. Amy DeLong, a UMC pastor who is set to go on trial for the UMC equivalent of heresy on June 21st. We are getting much closer to full legal equality for GLBT people in the U.S. – but in the battle for equality in the “Christian” community we still have a long way to go. Mom joined Daily Kos about a year ago, but hasn’t quite gotten the hang of Kosland herself yet – so her first diary here is coming from me.

hpchicago

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Monday May 31, 2010 · 5:00 PM PDT

2010/05/31 · 17:00

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Last week I wrote my first diary for this series; the story of my late partner Michael. This week, since no one else volunteered you're stuck with me again :) Up at the top of each one of these diaries is the emblem that Dem in the Heart of Texas designed with the names of everyone who’s been lost and mentioned since the series began. Michael’s name is up there – and it makes me tear up a little each time I see it. The other name up there that I grieve over is "Muppet".

A special welcome to anyone who is new to The Grieving Room. We meet every Monday evening. Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, whether you have lost a person or a pet, or even if the person you are "mourning" is still alive ("pre-grief" can be a very lonely and confusing time) you can come to this diary and process your grieving in whatever way works for you. Share whatever you need to share. We can't solve each other's problems, but we can be a sounding board and a place of connection.

A link to all previous Grieving Room Diaries ->http://www.dailykos.com/...

hpchicago

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Wednesday May 26, 2010 · 11:10 AM PDT

2010/05/26 · 11:10

Note: I am not the heckler from the Boxer fundraising event.

At a Tuesday night fundraiser for Barbara Boxer President Obama was again heckled by an audience member over DADT. In response the president put on his mildly bemused expression – like one of his kids had done something naughty but oh so cute. An "Oh those hecklers – not too bright but, you know, their heart’s in the right place" kind of look. He grinned, mentioned that the heckler might want to "buy a ticket (to a fundraiser) to someone who doesn’t support his point of view". He told the crowd that the heckler must not have been reading the newspapers because "we’re working with congress as we speak to roll back don’t ask don’t tell". Finally he stated "I actually does think he reads the newspapers, because his heart didn’t seem in it ... do it faster, come on man, I’m dealing with congress here, it takes a little bit of time".

hpchicago

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Monday May 24, 2010 · 5:00 PM PDT

2010/05/24 · 17:00

title=

Michael was a party boy, artistic in nature and abilities, sweet, sensitive, considerate. He grew up in poverty as a Native American in southwest Michigan and the U.P. At 9 his mother would pass him a joint and give him a beer when he wanted one. The mother’s husband/boyfriend of the moment decided that Michael made a good punching bag when he was about 12.

A special welcome to anyone who is new to The Grieving Room. We meet every Monday evening. Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, whether you have lost a person or a pet, or even if the person you are "mourning" is still alive ("pre-grief" can be a very lonely and confusing time) you can come to this diary and process your grieving in whatever way works for you. Share whatever you need to share. We can't solve each other's problems, but we can be a sounding board and a place of connection.

A link to all previous Grieving Room Diaries ->http://www.dailykos.com/...

Poll

29 votes Show Results

Are you listening?

29 votes Vote Now!

Are you listening?

Yes

25 votes

2 votes

Shhh, the DWTS finale is on and Derek's about to take off his shirt!

0 votes

Hunnh? What? I wasn't paying attention

1 vote

I just want an Indian taco and a nice piece of pie

0 votes

This diary's too friggin' long and you put in a poll too?

1 vote

How many "Brandons" is it going to take?

hpchicago

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Friday August 14, 2009 · 4:45 PM PDT

2009/08/14 · 16:45

I first wrote this in December 2003. In looking through some old personal writings I came upon it this afternoon and found that, unfortunately, it’s still relevant:

This morning my friend Brandon called me. And as I write this, two hours later, I am fighting back tears of frustration and sadness.

I first met Brandon about 3 years ago. Twenty years my junior he was a skinny, blonde 17 year old who was living in the apartment next door when my partner and I moved to Tampa from Chicago. He himself had only recently moved to live with his dad and stepmom, along with her two kids, after spending the majority of his life living with his mom in Virginia.

hpchicago

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday June 19, 2009 · 5:21 PM PDT

2009/06/19 · 17:21

I manage a residential high rise in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago - just a few blocks from the Obama family home. This evening I left my office for the night, went up to my apartment to grab the dog for a walk in the park and on my way out through the lobby met a new resident who was stopping by to pick up her keys. She mentioned that there was some sort of "gay rights demonstration" in the park across the street.

I walked out the door - and sure enough there's a group of picketers standing in the park across the street from the synagogue next door. I bet its the first time that protestors from Westboro Baptist Church have ever been mistaken for a "gay rights" demonstration. Sporting big shit-eating grins they stood holding signs that said "God Hates Jews", "God Hates Fags" and "God Hates Obama". Cars slowed down to see what was up, followed by lots of "Fuck You Assholes!" when the drivers and passengers figured out what was going on.

RSS

Heresy Trial - Wisconsin Right Strikes Again

The Grieving Room: Muppet Memories

Why we heckle, Mr. President

The Grieving Room: Dream a Little Dream

How many "Brandons" is it going to take?

I just screamed "God Hates You"