On pride and dignity

Taken at a gay pride event and shared on the Obama twitter account

“The most sweepingly positive changes any president has ever made to address gay rights. How can we not vote for that? I may not have a job yet, but I have my dignity! OBAMA 2012”

I was reading on some of my favorite blogs and saw this comment on JoeMyGod. It was posted as a guest, but I wish I could attribute it to the author.

That sentiment resonates to my core.

While the terrible economy continues to slowly improve – in spite of the GOP obstruction in Congress to keep things from improving so President Obama might not be re-elected – I have to say the statement above says a lot about why and who supports President Obama.

No President has done more for lifitng the level of respect for LGBT Americans than President Barack Obama.

From repealing DADT (which he said he would do, and he did) to refusing to defend the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act, to supporting marriage equality for all Americans – NO President has done more to help us feel equal.

The conservative gays at GOProud love to rally ’round the GOP saying gays rights aren’t the only issue and “economic issues affect us all.” Yes – economics affect us all, but before you make money, have a job, raise children or even just get up in the morning we all need to feel our worth. Our dignity.

I’m not in campaign mode here, but Mitt Romney does not see some Americans as being as equal as others. He has said he would support a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality for millions of gay Americans. He did not support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Thousands of American men and women, who put their lives on the line for our country every day,  that Mitt Romney does not feel should be able to serve their country.

Jobs are slowly coming back after the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. There’s a saying: “you walk seven miles into the forest, it’s seven miles back out.” It took eight years of bad decisions on behalf of the last administration to get us into the mess Obama inherited.  The worst recession in 80 years isn’t going to be resolved in three.

President Obama is doing his best despite a Republican party that stated that their number one goal was not to create jobs for Americans; it was to deny President Obama a second term. And it’s clear that’s what their focus has been on.

America’s future continues to improve. We are still the great country we always have been. AND the LGBT community has many reasons to support a President who sees us as equals. Who treats us with dignity.

I’m pretty sure that falls under the definition of the word “pride.”

Celebrate Pride kids.

Forward.  No fear.

Dear Randy Report readers…

Last dip in the pool before heading to OKC….

Just a heads up to say that I will be posting for the next couple of weeks, albeit at odd times as I will be heading to Oklahoma City to choreograph “Sweet Charity” for the Lyric Theater – where I actually got my professional start in theater 31 years ago… (but age is a state of mind…  ignore the number, what state of mind would you like me to be?)

Along the way I will be posting during the early morning and evening hours – so please keep coming to catch up on the news and my personal spin on life  🙂

I also plan to post a “song a day” of what I happen to be working on with the cast of “Sweet Charity” so you know what I’m up to.  That’s really the point of a blog anyway, isn’t it?

I’ll also post pictures from rehearsals and other events when I can keep you informed of life along the way.

Thanks in advance for staying with me and continuing to check in on The Randy Report.

10 straight people LGBT people can be proud of

Ben Cohen, world class rugby player and anti-bullying activist

Since June is gay pride month, the folks at Buzzfeed made a list of a few straight people that have done things for the LBGT community that we can all feel good about.

How do you like the list? Who would you add?

1. Ben Cohen, rubgy player/activist
2. Lisa Lampanelli, comedian
3. Hudson Taylor, wrestler and coach
4. & 5. Theodore Olson and David Boies, lawyers
6. Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of the NAACP
7. Zach Wahls, student
8. Josh Hutcherson, actor
9. Barack Obama, president
10. Dick Cheney, former vice president

Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre opens

Olivia and Michael before seeing the interior of the Centre for the first time.

Michael is currently in Australia with Olivia Newton-John for the grand opening ceremonies for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.

Olivia has spent the better part of the last ten years helping raise almost $200 million dollars to build this research, treatment and wellness centre for people diagnosed or affected by cancer.

The Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre will combine research laboratories, clinical treatment and complementary therapies in a one stop shop aimed at attacking cancer from all angles.

Patients will be able to join singalongs in a dedicated music room, take a yoga class or enjoy a massage in combination with their chemotherapy.

Cutting the ribbon on the centre on Friday, Newton-John said complementary therapies were an underrated component in the fight against cancer, which began for her with a diagnosis in 1992.

‘I had to find it myself and go to different places or have them come to me,’ she said.

‘I was lucky I could do that but most people can’t so that’s why this is wonderful.

‘It’s actually more than I ever could have pictured or dreamed of.’

The pics below were taken right before Olivia was able to see the inside of the newly built centre for the very first time.

Read more here.

Salvation Army Major: LGBT People Should Be Put to Death

In an interview with Australian LGBT journalists Serena Ryan and Pete Dillon, a senior Salvation Army official said that non-celibate LGBT people should be put to death.

The official, Major Andrew Craibe, is the Salvation Army’s Territorial Media Relations Director for the Southern Territory in Victoria.

Australian pop star Darren Hayes, the openly gay former lead singer of Savage Garden, recently called for a boycott of the Salvation Army because of the church’s anti-gay beliefs (just as I did here in the States). Hayes’s comments caused quite the firestorm, so Major Craibe appeared on Ryan and Dillon’s podcast, Salt and Pepper, to discuss the Salvation Army’s official position on homosexuality and whether it’s evolved over time.

Above is the interview with Salvation Army Major Andrew Craibe in full.

Ryan told Craibe that she prepared for the interview by reading all 170 pages of Salvation Story: Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine, a manual published by the group’s international headquarters in London and available online.

Ryan expressed incredulity that the official Salvation Army handbook cites a scriptural passage which calls for the execution of LGBT people, and asked Craibe how he would respond to a hypothetical LGBT person receiving guidance from the Salvation Army who discovers the homophobic citation (around the 7:00 mark).

RYAN: . . . that says, according to the Salvation Army, that [they] deserve death. How do you respond to that, as part of your doctrine?

CRAIBE: Well, that’s a part of our belief system.

RYAN: So we should die.

CRAIBE: We have an alignment to the Scriptures,  that’s our belief.

RYAN: Wow. So we should die.

There’s a lot more at Truth Wins Out.

LeAnn Rimes in concert with LA Gay Men’s Chorus

LeAnn Rimes,  amazing vocalist and longtime equality advocate, makes a second appearance with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, which marks the group’s first all-country music program, featuring a range of popular classic and contemporary country hits. Tonight and Sunday.

For more information go to GMCLA.org.

Via the Advocate

Jerry Sandusky convicted of 45 of 48 counts of child abuse

After two days of jury deliberation, former Nittany Lions defensive coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted late last night on 45 of 48 counts of child sexual abuse. He faces up to 442 years in prison. From CNN:

Sandusky stood slightly hunched, looking down with his hand in his pocket but showing no visible emotion as the guilty verdicts were read out in court. His wife, Dottie, blinked back tears.
Judge John Cleland revoked Sandusky’s bail and ordered his arrest. Video showed him leaving the courthouse in handcuffs and heading into a police car destined for the Centre County jail. He didn’t say anything as reporters asked if he had anything to say to the victims before he ducked into the back seat.

Susan Lucci’s new series “Devious Maids” gets picked up

Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives creator) has adapted the telenovela Ellas son la Alegría del Hogar, which has now been picked up with a 13-episode order.

Ex-Housewife Eva Longoria is one of the executive producers.

This should give series regular Susan Lucci plenty to talk about  on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. The All My Children legend stars as Genevieve Delacort, a loopy, aging socialite, prone to suicide attempts, and taking much younger lovers.

Apparently, Lucci was testing through the roof for Lifetime, courtesy of her guest stints on Army Wives. I’m guessing that made this happen – and I for one am glad. Everyone I know who’s met Ms. Lucci says wonderful things about her.

Billboard Magazine: 21 Great Gay Moments in Music

Billboard Magazine has assembled a list of 21 “Great Gay Moments in Music” that were pivotal in advancing the understanding and acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Included are Adam Lambert, Jay Z and President Obama’s support of marriage equality, GLEE and more.

Check it out at Billboard.com