My Blog

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,

Jim

The Sacred Institution of Marriage, Right?

Ronald Reagan - divorced the mother of two of his children to marry Nancy Reagan, who bore him a daughter only 7 months after the marriage.

Bob Dole - divorced the mother of his child, who had nursed him through the long recovery from his war wounds.

Newt Gingrich - divorced his wife who was dying of cancer.

Dick Armey - House Majority Leader - divorced

Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas - divorced

Gov. John Engler of Michigan - divorced

Gov. Pete Wilson of California - divorced

George Will - divorced

Sen. Lauch Faircloth - divorced

Rush Limbaugh - Rush and his current wife Marta have six marriages and four divorces between them.

(Impossible, one of them would be a polygamist, they have 5 marraiges and 4 divorces, one of the marraiges is in common. Addiction is hard on marraige.)

Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia - Barr, not yet 50 years old, has been married three times. Barr had the audacity to author and push the "Defense of Marriage Act." The current joke making the rounds on Capitol Hill is "Bob Barr…WHICH marriage are you defending?!?

Sen. Alfonse D’Amato of New York - divorced

Sen. John Warner of Virginia - divorced (once married to Liz Taylor.)

Gov. George Allen of Virginia - divorced

Henry Kissinger - divorced

(Amazing he didn’t kill her to avoid looking WEAK. If you don’t get it, you probably don’t know much about Kissinger)

Rep. Helen Chenoweth of Idaho - divorced

Sen. John McCain of Arizonia - divorced

Rep. John Kasich of Ohio - divorced

Rep. Susan Molinari of New York - Republican National Convention Keynote Speaker - divorced

So … homosexuals are going to destroy the institution of marriage? Wait a minute, it seems the Christian Heterosexual Republicans are doing a fine job without anyone’s help!

If you agree, like I do, that hypocrisy and bigotry must end, repost this. Perhaps this will open some eyes!

What You Need To Believe To Be A  Bush Republican:

1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy
made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy
when Bush needed a "we can’t find Bin Laden" diversion.

3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China
and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of International harmony.

4. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

5. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.

7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.

8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans is socialism.  HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

10. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

12. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

13. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades , but George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.

14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

15. Supporting "Executive Privilege" for every Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be born (in perpetuity.)

16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the ’80s is irrelevant.

17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those worn by most quail.

Feel free to pass this on. If you don’t send it to at least 10 other people, we’re likely to be stuck with more Bush Republicans in ‘06 and ‘08.  Friends don’t let friends vote Republican

WE WON!!!!!!  The Senate failed to get cloture!  Thanks everyone who helped!  Here is a press release from HRC.

Politics of Discrimination and Distraction Fail as Senate Resoundingly Defeats Federal Marriage Amendment

“President Bush and the Republican leadership gambled their dwindling political capital on a discriminatory amendment and came up empty,” said Human Rights Campaign President

Joe Solmonese

. “With the addition of Senators Specter and Gregg, not only did every senator who voted against discrimination in 2004 stand with us today but momentum is on the side of equality.”

WASHINGTON

 – The Senate voted 49 to 48 today to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment, a measure that would have denied marriage to same-sex couples and seriously threatened civil unions and domestic partnerships.  Seven Republicans joined 41 Democrats in voting down the measure, which opponents said was a politically motivated distraction from real challenges facing the country.

“President Bush and the Republican leadership gambled their dwindling political capital on a discriminatory amendment and came up empty,” said Human Rights Campaign President

Joe Solmonese

. “With the addition of Senators Specter and Gregg, not only did every senator who voted against discrimination in 2004 stand with us today but momentum is on the side of equality. This is a resounding defeat against discrimination.

Solmonese continued, “For the House to now take up a bill that’s dead and twice failed would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt this is nothing more than election-year posturing.

“The quarter of a million postcards we delivered on behalf of Human Rights Campaign members made the strength of opposition known on Capitol Hill,” added Solmonese. “Many thanks to these members for speaking out, to our allies for working side-by-side with us in defeating this measure, and, especially, to the Senators who saw through this thinly-veiled attempt to divide the American people with discrimination.”

Two Senators, Sens. Specter and Gregg, changed their 2004 votes – both voting against cloture. Republican Sens. Sununu, Chafee, Snowe, McCain, Collins, Specter and Gregg all voted against the measure. The procedural vote, known as cloture, needed 60 votes to pass and received 49 votes today. By defeating cloture, the vote killed the amendment. Had it passed cloture, the amendment would have needed 67 votes to pass the Senate.

In 2004, the Senate and House both fell far short of the two-thirds vote necessary to send the amendment to the states for ratification.  In the Senate, the vote against cloture was 50 to 48, with six Republicans voting no. The Republicans who opposed cloture were Senators Campbell, Chafee, Collins, McCain, Snowe and Sununu.  In the House, the vote was 227 to 186. 

Many prominent Republicans and conservatives expressed opposition to the amendment in 2004, including Vice President Cheney, Arlen Specter, Rudy Guiliani, Chuck Hagel, David Dreier, George Pataki, Bob Barr, Alan Simpson, George Will, and David Brooks.  This year, those numbers increased to former Senator Danforth who called the amendment, “silly” and “contrary to basic Republican principles.”  Also, First Lady Laura Bush was recently quoted as saying, “I don’t think it should be used as a campaign tool, obviously.”

After it was announced that Senator McCain would deliver the commencement address at Jerry Falwell’s

Liberty

University

, the many media stories prompted McCain to reaffirm his opposition to the amendment several times.

In response to a letter sent by Bill Frist in late April outlining the Federal Marriage Amendment as a key vote, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said, “We owe it to the American people to focus on their needs, and not waste a single day focusing on partisan needs. That means setting aside an issue like the marriage amendment, and tackling the issue of gas prices instead.”

A long list of African-American leaders has spoken out against the amendment. The late Coretta Scott King told college students once that “a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay-bashing. … Instead of trivializing the Constitution, we need some laws that give families the kind of help they really need, like job-training and child care assistance, stronger schools and health insurance coverage for every family.”

Julian Bond, Congressman John Lewis, Rev. Andrew Young, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Leonard Pitts, Rev. Peter Gomes and Dr. Henry Louis Gates have all been public in their strong opposition to the amendment. The NAACP also opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment and testified against the amendment in 2004.

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

We need your help to send a message that the Senate won’t forget.

This Monday is National Call-In Day, and thousands of people will be calling in to tell their Senators to vote NO on the Federal Marriage Amendment.

This weekend, we have an easy way for you to turn up the volume on the call-in day and let the voices of fair-minded Americans be heard: Flood your Senators’ voice mail.

Just pick up your phone over the weekend, call (202) 224 - 3121 and ask to leave a message on your Senators’ voice mail.

Here’s what you can say:

• I am calling to urge you to vote no on the Federal Marriage Amendment.

• Throughout American history, the Constitution has been amended to expand and protect the rights and liberties of the American people – it should not be used to single out some Americans for discrimination.

• The Federal Marriage Amendment would single out GLBT Americans for separate and unequal treatment in the U.S. Constitution, the very document that is supposed to guarantee Americans’ equality.

• Do not write discrimination into the Constitution; vote NO on the Federal Marriage Amendment.

On Monday morning, voice mail boxes on Capital Hill will be overflowing, and the message will be clear: fair-minded Americans will not stand for the discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment.

Don’t forget to also join us on Monday for the National Call-In Day itself.

I decided to start a blog — and have this as my first entry.  Please read it and send it to everyone.  Modify for yourself and send it to everyone. 

I am Jeff Mack. I am a second class citizen. I am not equal, at least in the eyes of our President.

Read this and then call your Senators and tell them to vote NO on the Federal Marriage Amendment!

I am an American. I am a son. I am a brother. I am an uncle. I am a gay
republican. I voted for John Kerry. I wish I had a President I could
support. I dont.

George Bush is not a true republican.

I am sad and disillusioned. The party to which I belong has strayed from its core beliefs and has become a puppet of the extreme right and big money interest groups. I am a republican that believes in small government, small government spending, low taxes for all, privacy and states rights.

President Bush does not believe this.

I am thinking of my niece and nephew. I want my niece and nephew to grow up in a great country that respects all of its citizens: One where not just the richest one percent get tax cuts; One where the government works for the people but doesnt invade their homes or their bedrooms; One where my president doesnt run up a record national debt that was non-existent 6 years ago; One where if my niece or nephew are gay or straight they will have the same rights as their sibling; One that is respected in the world community;

One where I am equal.

What people dont understand is that the current President of the United States made history when he called a press conference and announced that he was going to support an amendment
that would make a minority group second class citizens and use the most
sacred document in this country to do so. No president has ever done this.

He will do it again next week.

If he had done this for a racial minority group, he would have been
impeached. This President said to the world that I am not equal.

I dont want to get married, yet. I do want the option. I also want my friends who are in loving and committed relationships to have the same rights as our straight counterparts. We are denied over 1,100 rights everyday. This also affects their children.

Your church doesnt have to support my relationship, I would never ask that. I am not a Christian.

When we begin to deny rights to one segment of our population, where
does it end? Have we not learned from history?

I know there are a lot of issues in this country; the war, our children being killed over seas for this war, poverty, health care and many others that our President could use his bully pulpit to change, but instead he is trying to polarize the country over an issue that he thinks will keep his people in power.

I could live my entire life or my niece and nephew could live their entire lives in a country where their uncle will have never been equal.

I face living in a country where my love will never be equal.

I face living in a country where I will never be equal.

I am Jeff Mack.