Get off your Ass and Think: Don’t be Lazy!!!

I have always seen homosexuality as some connection to the religious aspect. Not because it made sense to me, but because of the way I was brought up. Always drenched in the teachings of Christianity/ Catholicism. I have even been skeptical that maybe it was some type of evil force or spirit, that toys with the mentality of a person to then convince them of homosexuality. Now that I am older and have experienced a usable amount of life, and my brain has developed to a non-conformist state of being I have a new take on it. According to Jermy Cooper in the articles, With latest comments: Chick-fil-a can no longer deny anti-LGBT feelings and Audio: Focus on the Family Prez says gays are at Battle With Go. God is completely involved in the case of homosexuality. One article discusses how being gay effects fruitfulness and family values, and the other transcends to how being gay is a slap in Gods face. Now this aspect of religion on homosexuality, is deeper than a heartbreak wound, it literally pierces the souls of many pro-LGBTs every where. Well, silly me I thought religion was a choice. A decision one makes to follow God and be in communication with him regardless of our personal choices, and to take hold of all the aspects that come with believing in his undying love. According to the articles might I be wrong? Maybe its not a choice. Maybe it is a general rule that every one in the world by fire and by force, has to take the lord Jesus into their heart, and any misstep (such as homosexual practice) will land them on the heathen’s side of the religious spectrum. This one aspect of the bible that people seem to defy is apparently, the end all be all. With out even trying to fully grasp the root of gay-ism every one immediately runs to grab hold of the bible. Hmm. Strange. Well, here’s a question. If you curse up a storm (which is a sin in the bible), what makes you any different from a homosexual (which is also a sin in the bible)? A sin is a sin right? Religion just seems to be the lazy way of classifying homosexuality as a problem. Do not be lazy!!!!

What Side Are You On?

There comes a time every 4 years where the divide in the United States is evident more than ever. During election time people find themselves having to choice their side on different issues that face our country. Elections also breathe new life into divides that already exists. This divide also applies to organizations. One example of this is within the Catholic Church. The Church is very clear on its stance and teaching about Gay marriage. However, there are a growing number of Catholics that are taking a stand and saying that they support gay marriage. With upcoming elections fast approaching catholic are having to choose candidates that they will support. For Catholics that are on the fence this decision becomes hard. When Catholics look to see what the Roman Catholic Church say on many political issues such as gay marriage they find the church saying one thing. As they then turn to other sites such as Dignity USA they find a very different stance on the issue. This is something that can cause a lot of confusion with Catholics. For the ones who are supportive of gay marriage they feel that the Catholic Church needs to change and evolve with the times. For those who support the church would say that the Catholic Church does not and should not change because that defeats the purpose of standing for a set of beliefs. This is why people need things laid out in a straight forward way. For those looking for an answer on where the Roman Catholic Church stands on the issue of gay marriage it would be that they are against it. However one could find Catholic groups that are for gay marriage but again for an official stance from the Vatican it would be that the Church is against gay marriage. One question that arises is can the Church be supportive of gay marriage civilly, but still keep its stance that gay couples will not be married in the Church? This would also hold up the separation of Church and State.   

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Gay Marriage at the Forefront of 2012 Election

Gay marriage is a key social issue in the 2012 Presidential Election. This controversial issue is very divided in terms of those who support and oppose it.  Obama is the first sitting Democratic -- or Republican -- president to endorse gay marriage. This is a significant time in our history. This is the kind of movement the community has been working towards. It is very exciting. It makes the dream of getting true equality for all seem a little more possible. This is what the community and its supporters have worked so hard for.  The democratic party is supportive of this social issue while the republican party opposes it. Many believe that this social issue will determine which presidential candidate will be elected based on the voters' views on the matter. "Young Republicans, like young Democrats, young independents, young people across the spectrum overwhelmingly support the freedom to marry." I agree that the younger generation is more open minded and accepting of gay marriage rights as well as other communities facing discrimination. "When the president came out in support of freedom to marry, he was doing what we elect presidents to do," said Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry. "He was showing the moral leadership of standing up for the full protection and dignity of every American under the Constitution." These are the kind of changes we expect presidents to make and usually don't see happen. This represents hope for much of society that this movement will continue to progress and the dream of true equality will become a reality.

You’re here, You’re Queer, I’m Ok with it!

There are many miss conceptions that paint a false image of certain organizations and groups. As a Roman Catholic there is one miss conception that I feel needs to be cleared up. That is that Catholics do not like or hate Homosexuals. This is false. The Catholic Church does not teach to hate homosexuals nor does it support people who do. Like with any group or organizations there are those who paint a negative picture of that group or organization. A web site called Life-Teen has published some articles relating to this topic of the Catholic’s view and teaching on homosexuality. The article says “The Catholic Church is so loving and accepting of everyone because we’re all children of God and made in the image and likeness of God.” For those who say that the Catholic Church hates homosexual people would be making a false statement. Yes the church will never allow Gay marriage but to say that because of that the church hates gays is a false statement. There is one verse from the Bible that many Christians will use to justify their stance on how they feel about homosexuals. Leviticus 18:22 says “you shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination”. People often interpret this to mean that homosexuals are an abomination. They will then apply it to their faith to say that their faith feels this way. So miss led Catholics would say that the church teaches that homosexuals are an abomination when that statement would be false. It is not the homosexual that is an “abomination” but the action. However what people often forget is that sex whether it is with a man and a woman (before marriage) or between a man and a man is still a sin and looked at the same. One is not worse than the other. The Catholic Church in no way is condemning the person who is homosexual nor are they saying that they are an abomination. To further reiterate, the Catholic Church is accepting because first and for most everyone is a children of God and is made in the image and likeness of God and for that reason they are to be respected and treated the same and everyone else. Yes there is the issue that they church will never allow gay marriage. However this is Not because they view homosexuals as inferior or do not respect them or their rights. It is because of the sanctity of marriage in which the Catholic Church is upholding. Marriage is a vocation that unites a man and a woman with the intent to pro-create. Due to the fact that a man and a man or a woman and a woman could never pro-create, sex becomes strictly for pleasure and not for pro-creation. This is the same reason why sex before marriage for a man and a woman is wrong. The couple is not using it for the purpose of pro-creation. The Catholic Church is not just targeting homosexuals in an effort to prevent them from getting married. The Catholic Church also says that any form of contraceptive that prevents the formation of life is a sin. So even for a heterosexual couple that is married and is having sex with contraceptives is not using sex for its intended purpose of pro-creation and unity. So all in all it is important that I restate that the Catholic Church is not against Homosexuals and is first and for most “Loving and accepting of everyone because we’re all children of God and made in the image and likeness of God”. 

Same Shades of Grey

Why Am I gay? What is this weird attraction I have to the same sex? Is it normal to be this way?  These are the many questions, many homosexuals and lesbians ask themselves. The World seems to have this impenetrable perception, that gay people have it all mapped out. As though they are a different species of people, and their brains are wired in an outer-world type of way. Well, Surprise! Surprise! That isn’t true. They are human beings just like heterosexuals. In life, there are some people who feel like they have it all planned out, and there are some of us who are like a deers caught in head lights. We are all a mixture of different personal characteristics, we think differently, and we all have different experiences. As a result of these similar differences, it is crucial to understand that much like everyone else gays go through a state of confusion and uncomfortability. They didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to be attracted to the same sex. This way of thinking brings forth a state of uneasiness. It is a build up of years of pain, struggles, and trying to find ones self. Which is a struggle that every human being goes through, it is a natural state of living. What is the difference between the struggles of establishing who you are and how it effects your sexual preference? And the struggles of trying to find your self and how it relates to inflicting pain on one’s self ? There is no difference between the two, because the main objective is finding yourself. In high school I was friends with girl who was a Lesbian. She dressed like a boy, walked like a boy, and even tried to sound like a boy. I even forgot at times that she was a female. It wasn’t after a few years of knowing her, that she opened up to me about being raped by her fathers friends. She expressed to me that her whole life she felt lost, and she had a sense of displacement. Being gay just seemed to be the only normal thing to do, and process of doing so was not easy. The things that she endured stifled her ability to think clearly. Being gay really is not what she wanted, but happened to fall into it as a result of finding control. Her sexuality was under her control, therefore she took control of it. The perception of gays being specialty cases separate from the rest of the world, is just ignorant. They are exactly like the rest of us, just trying to find what makes them happy in the midst of the pain of life. Looking at them differently would only be a slap to the face of those who do so. It would be the kettle calling the pot black, if you will. If  being a homosexual makes someone happy, then there isn’t anything wrong with it. Life its self is so unhappy, if you can find what eases you, do it! We are all just looking for ourselves.

Outside Sources

LifeTeen.com

The Producer: Christina Mead, Life Teen

The content of this article is “Catholics Care About Gays. The Myth Debunked”. This explains how despite with most people think Catholics do care about gays as said in the title. The second article is titled “Gay, Catholic, and Doing Fine”. This second article talks about how it is possible to be gay and Catholic. And speaks to how there is a misconception that it is one or the other.

These posts are written to inform mostly teens and young adults but are seen by a large age group. One is written with a personal point of view aspect and the other is written with more of the informative aspect and with the intent to educate. Though they both have the intent to educate one has a more personal aspect.

These articles are onetime post but are stored on the website to be accessed on a later date.

There is an area to make comments

This is also tied into other forms of social media so a person can share the article with others within that social media outlet.

Catholic.org

The Producer: Unknown

The content of the article deals with the right to same sex marriage. It talks about why Catholics and Christians are opposed to this law.

This article is written to inform the voting public and is aimed toward more adults.

This is a onetime post article but is updated with the changing of laws and before and after voting.

There is no area to make comments but a person can contact people who run the website.

This is a way to share this information with other forms of social media.

Change.org

The Producer: Tico Almeida

This Blog is titled “President Obama: Sign the Executive Order Adding LGBT Workplace Protections to Millions of American Jobs”. This blog I found to be very helpful with the upcoming election. It is one that affects many people. The reason is because it one helps to educate people about why gay and lesbian rights are important. It also helps people to make a smart and educated decision when voting for the next president.

This blog is written from a personal point of view but is being written as being a part of a larger group of

This blog is written to inform adults and the voting public. It is also amid toward President Obama himself.

This blog has no place to leave a comment but it has a petition that a person can sign to support the cause that the blogger is trying to support.

There is no sign of social media tied into the blog.

There is no area to say how often the blogger post but there are other articles posted by him on the same topic of gay rights.

Angela McCarthy  

The Producer: Angela McCarthy

This is a good blog because it talks about a new TV show that has just started airing and about a city that is trying to ban the show because of its depiction of Gays. This Station in Utah is trying to ban the show because they feel it is too offensive to people and should not be aired.

This Blog incorporates personal experience from the blogger and uses it to help defend her blog and the reason that she feels it is bad that this company wants to ban the show “The New Normal”.

This blog is written to inform a large audience of people. This is appealing to those who watch the show to speak out to talk about the way that people need to stand up and defend what the show stands for.

There is no area to leave a comment but there is a petition that one can sign.

There is no indication to how often the person post but there is a sign that the person does post and update the blog.

There is no sign of a way to tie in Facebook or other form of social media.

The Republic of T.

• The producer is Paul Krugman.
• The content addresses issues that he is passionate about including gay rights and various political issues. He definitely gives his opinion but he presents a wealth of information about the content to where the reader could make their own opinions and create/participate in a discussion.
• This blog is written as a personal interest to the producer. It is about his life and opinions with information about events or issues we are facing. He is a gay African American who is married with two children. He actually started his blog a day after his son was born. You can feel how passionate he is in every post.
• He posts every couple of days. Posts about gay rights occur almost every week. Recently he writes about it in terms of political platforms for the upcoming presidential election.
• There is the opportunity to leave comments but it is not currently being used.
• There is no social media presence in terms of facebook or twitter but readers can email the producer.

American Civil Liberties Union

• This site is produced by an organization if staff members. The current president is Susan Herman. It was founded in 1920.
• This site focuses on discrimination of all types not just against LGBT community. This organization works in courts daily to fight for the rights that the Constitution guarentees everyone.
• This organization writes about this issue because they believe that if the rights of the most vulnerable members of our population are denied, our rights are as well.
• They post content daily and content on gay rights on a weekly basis.
• There are very few comments posted and they mostly consist of reader's appreciation for the information they recieved.
• The site has a big social media presence. (facebook, twitter, blog of rights and email)

AMERICAblog

• This site has multiple producers.
• This is a political blog with a progressive point of view with a wealth of topics presented to readers. It presents news and opinions on the content of this site.
• The producers created this site to give an inside look at what is important in the news and why.
• Content is reported daily and content regarding gay rights and discrimination is posted weekly.
• There are several comments on each post and they consist of the readers' opinions about the information presented.
• This site's social media presence consists of facebook and twitter.

IGLHRC: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

• This site is produced as an organization.
• This site focuses on human rights avocacy for those who experience discrimination.
• This site is dedicated to improving the lives of people who have experienced discrimination because of their sexual orientation. They strive to strengthen the capacity of the LGBT human rights movement worldwide.
• They post content a few times a month regarding LGBT issues and news.
• There are not comments on this site.
• They have a big social media presence including facebook, twitter and email.

Jeremy Hooper’s Good As You Blog

• The producer is Jeremy Hooper.

• The content is specifically peaceful in the subject of  L.G.B.T (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender). It uses current news and media to bring to light the lack of rights and discrimination that may be happening to people in general. But the way he does it is in a very non aggressive manner. He in a way presents different information occurring presently for the reader to then make their own conclusions.

• This is a personal blog to the producer, so it seems. According to the information given he is a homosexual who just recently got married in 2005. But besides this being personal in the way of his sexual preference, his views are also seen in the content. His views of wanting freedom for all, is reflected on every post he puts up.

• He posts almost everyday, and the information he posts regarding gay rights and discrimination is almost everyday. Even if it is not specific to the subject, it is in the ball park and directs one’s thinking toward the direction of gay rights and discrimination.

• The videos and articles provided comes with a brief explanation of what is in it. But the distinct thing about these explanations are the resonating sounds of “READ ME!”. He does a great job of luring the reader into wanting more.

• The page is linked to face book, aim, twitter and email.

Jen Burke’s Jenburke.com Blog

• It seems as though it is produced by Jen Burke, and that could be a group or an individual but there is no clear indication.

• The site is very diverse but still maintains a focus on gay rights and discrimination. There are subjects on there regarding law and attorneys but it is geared toward LGBT. There are a lot of original pieces that are written, that are linked to present issues on the topic.

• There is not a description like other blogs about the producer and or producers, but judging from the content one can extract that the creators of the blog are interested in the legal aspects of LGBT and the discrimination that is usually attached to that idea

• There aren’t any dates on the postings but judging from the site, it was made specifically during the voting of 2008 elections. The last update was made in 2009. But the things that are posted are very much concentrated toward the topic at hand.

• The threads of information that are up seem very aggressive and in your face as a reader, and to me it was a way to get people energized about the topic to further read.

• There were no social networking links attached.

Boston Globe’s The Big Picture

• The producer is Paula Nelson. She contributes to a blog section on the Boston Globe website.

• The content is focused on events happening all over the word, from the topic of poverty, strikes, to the pope going to Cuba, to my topic homosexual movements. I think the commonality in all the stories on her blog, is that the things reported are events that effect every one in some way and there is a topic for everyone.

• The producers interest seems to be civil movements, and by that I mean problems or issues occurring civilly amongst people in a certain place. It seems to be a goal to bring that news to people in America, because most of the stories are internationally based.

• The content is roughly every month, and homosexuality only appeared once in the past year worth of posts. But if you click on the story there are a lot of photos, which I guess compensates for the lacking of gay rights information.

• There are comments with each story and pictures specifically, but the description does indeed describe what  the topics are about, just not in an enticing way.

• There is a link to social networks; face book and twitter.

Human Rights Campaign’s HRC blog/website

• The producers are group of people

• The content is focused on civil rights for LGBT, and the movement of it. There are a lot of up to date information regarding that, such as Romney’s speech on it for voting purposes and a priest who is in support of HRC.

• Their interest is bringing forth equality for the LGBT community, and doing so by bringing awareness to the issues they suffer and the need for their equality.

• Their blog is updated and posted on daily with peoples opinions, oppositions and just pure information. This blog is within the general website which seems to be updated as much as the blog or as needed.

• The comments accompanying each story or information is very succinct which I feel is perfect. It is straight to the point, and this lets one decide very quickly if they want to read further or not.

• There is a link to face book, twitter, and Google.