May I Ask For a Mutually Beneficial Favor From GLBT DUers,...

[MarianJack]

...especially those in Maine, or at least upper New England? We live in Augusta, Maine.

Pardon me if this a bit long, but this comes from the heart of a man who has seen "Philadelphia" about 20 times and still always spends the last 15 minutes crying. I think that GLBT DUers pretty much know where I stand, but maybe I should give you a bit of an explanation as to WHY I stand where I do.

When I was a child, my father (who personally was a true son of a bitch but politically VERY MUCH on the right side) instilled in me a belief that you stand with the people who are being bullied, beaten down and hated by most of society. We watched Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech on TV when I was 8. We went to anti-Vietnam war protests in the late 60's and early 70's when I was in my mid-teens and my brother and sister were little more than toddlers. His attitude was that he served in 2 wars so his sons and daughters wouldn't have to. He, my step mother and I were all members of George McGovern's "Million Member Club" in 1972. He taught me the Burke quote that "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing".

Today, 4 months from my 51st birthday, I still believe these things, as does ChicaAzul, as do we try to instill in our almost 6 year old son.

About this time last year, Plaid Adder, the DUer whose opinions I respect more than any other, wrote that in the bushie's & fundie's crusades to lambaste Sponge Bob and to intimidate PBS from showing an episode of a cartoon where a lesbian says "hello" to a cartoon bunny, there was a blueprint for what they want to do to EVERYBODY! She cautioned us that the GLBT community was "the canary in the coal mine". She spoke of Sesame Street, and how that show was instrumental in teaching a whole generation of young Americans that racial diversity was good, and they WEREN'T ABOUT to let that happen with the GLBT community. When somebody I respect as much as I do the Adder speaks, I listen. When that person confirms what I was already thinking, I REALLY listen. (Plaid Adder, if you're reading this, first, thank you, and second, If I misquote you I'm sorry, but I believe I've gotten the spirit of that particular post right. At least this is the impression I got from it!)

Last year, we volunteered to be active in the "No on 1" campaign, which was in opposition to the "Christian" Civic League's campaign of lies the Maine law guaranteeing equal rights to Gays was actually a gay marriage law.

When I spoke to the volunteer coordinator, I Id'd myself and my wife as straight Roman Catholics who stood with the GLBT and were NOT going to be silenced in our support. However, I never heard from her again. ChicaAzul & I always felt (admittedly with no concrete evidence) that she considered us to be suspect due to our faith. Given how so many people who profess Christianity act in public I can't really blame her. Their conduct is embarrassing to me, to! But we also believed that that would make us even MORE credible advocates and supporters, at least as illustrations that the fundies/evangelicals don't monolithically represent all Christians.

What I want to ask is this. If you are a GLBT DUer in the upper New England area, especially in Central Maine, ChicaAzul and I want to do whatever we can do in our limited time and with our limited $$$$ to help advocate for Gay/Lesbian rights and equality. Hopefully you know my stance and the sincerity of it. If there is anything we can do, please PM me.

This is a genuine, sincere and from the heart offer!

Thank you in advance, thanks for reading, and as always,...

PEACE!