So I'm here in the capitol, and I just left a meeting with Chip Arndt, political big whig with the Democratic party for the LGBT community, and I'm going tomorrow morning to meet up with some other activists to get my press rights so that I can cover and report on everything that's going on here in the capitol.

I'm going to try my best to get a feel for what's really going on here... I've talked to dozens of people already tonight that are feeling the march and are in support of what we're doing! Score! I've also met some pretty unfriendly indfividuals that had some colorful words to say about what was going down this weekend.

No matter.

I'm going to try and get my way into the nitty gritty of the events, and I'll be writing an article for QVegas for the November issue, so stay posted here for updates, go to my Facebook page and my Twitter acounts (go my social stream page) for more to the minute updates on the efforts on the ground here in the capitol.

This is truly a momentous occassion and I'm humbled to be here reporting on it and participating in history.

God bless America.

PS
The religious right is going to protest the President's dinner with the LGBT community tomorrow and they're also going to be alongside us at the march on sunday so keep us in your thoughts as we go against the biggots!

That's the question, isn't it? Sure, we'd like to have equal rights, but that means that you'd actually to do something. We all know how much that we all hate actually doing something! How about I tell you a little story of a lesbian couple that did everything right, but was still denied the basic human rights in the most important time in a persons' life... their death bed.

Picture this, you, your partner for over 17 years, and your 3 of your 4 adopted kids arrive in Miami for a wonderful cruise vacation! Sounds great so far, doesn't it? Alright, as you're getting ready for your cruise, your partner suddenly collapses to the floor and is rushed to the local hospital! Gasp! You arrive to the hospital right behind your partner's ambulance with your kids, and immediately try to offer all the medical history and information that you know about your partner because you've been together for over 17 years and have a family together. Just at that moment, your told by the hospital staff that they won't accept any information on your partner because you're in an anti-gay city and state, and that you shouldn't expect to get acknowledged as anything other than a regular visitor.

Are we having fun yet?

Lets go 8 hours into this ordeal, because we could really be here all day, when you and your kids are finally allowed to see your partner, with the help of the priest that was asked to do the last rites for your partner. Imagine that, a priest helping out a gay couple out in their time of need... only after this entire ordeal are you allowed to see your dying partner before they finally pass away in this hateful and disgustingly inhumane hospital. Just wait, because now the state of Florida and county medical examiner are denying you the death certificate because you're a nobody in Florida's eyes. Yeah, take that in for just a second, because it's not enough that they treat you like a second class citizen while your partner is dying, but now you have to fight tooth and nail to get their death certificate!

This was the sad story for a Washington lesbian couple two years ago. Now, the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida has rejected the surviving partner's suit against the hospital, citing that the hospital doesn't have to allow visitors to see patients. Not even in death can this couple obtain justice...

This is why we march in October, for this and many more stories exactly like this. The fight for equality has been ongoing for decades, but it won't ever end if people like you continue to do nothing.

God bless America.

Did you know that if you look online that you'll find at least 45 different instances since 2000 that LGBT people have been viciously attacked or murdered because of their sexual orientation.

This was brought to my attention by Kinetickyle on my twitter account (citizen0). Thanks Kyle.

That number may not seem like much to you, but read the reports below of some of those cases. To see if even one of these should have happened.

1) On July 3, 2000, in Grant Town, West Virginia, the victim, Arthur "J.R." Warren, was punched and kicked to death by two teenage boys who reportedly believed Warren had spread a rumor that he and one of the boys, David Allen Parker, had a sexual relationship. Warren's killers ran over his body to disguise the murder as a hit-and-run. Parker pleaded guilty and was sentenced to "life in prison with mercy", making him eligible for parole after 15 years. His accomplice, Jared Wilson, was sentenced to 20 years

2) On June 16, 2001, Fred C. Martinez Jr., a navajo transgender teen and two-spirit student was bludgeoned to death near Cortez,  Colorado by 18-year-old Shaun Murphy, who reportedly bragged about attacking a "fag". Murphy received only a 40yr sentence.

3) The December 2002 homicide of Nizah Morris, a transgender woman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has gone unsolved. The transgender entertainer collapsed from entoxication outside a bar late at night, and placed into a cop car by onlookers who helped Morris into the car since she could not stand on her own. The police reported dropping her off on a street that was far from where she lived, minutes later a passing motorist called the police after Morris was found lying on the sidewalk bleeding from her head. Morris suffered extensive injuries to her skull and was placed on life support only to die two days later.

4) On July 23, 2003, Nireah Johnson and Brandie Coleman were shot to death by Paul Moore, when Moore learned after a sexual encounter that Johnson was transgender. Moore then burned his victims' bodies. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to 120 years in prison

5) On October 2, 2004, multiple assailants in Waverly, Ohio, attacked Daniel Fetty, a gay man who was hearing-impaired and homeless. Fetty was beaten, stomped, shoved nude into a garbage bin, impaled with a stick, and left for dead; he succumbed to his injuries the next day. Prosecuters alleged a hate crime. Three men received sentences ranging from seven years to life.

6) On March 11, 2005, Jason Gage, an openly gay man, was murdered in his Waterloo, Iowa, apartment by an assailant, Joseph Lawrence, who claimed Gage had made sexual advance to him. Gage was bludgeoned to death with a bottle, and stabbed in the neck, probably post-mortem, with a shard of glass. Lawrence was sentenced to fifty years in prison.

7) On July 30, 2006, six men were attacked with baseball bats and knives after leaving the San Diego, California Gay Pride festival. One victim was injured so severely that he had to undergo extensive facial reconstructive surgery. Three men pleaded guilty in connection with the attacks and received prison sentences. A 15-year-old juvenile also pleaded guilty

8) On May 12, 2007, Roberto Duncanson was murdered in Brooklyn, New York. He was stabbed to death by Omar Willock, who claimed Duncanson had flirted with him.

9) In February 2008, Duanna Johnson, a transsexual woman, was beaten by a police officer while she was held in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center in Tennessee. Johnson said the officers reportedly called her a “faggot” and “he-she,” before and during the incident. In November 2008, she was found dead in the street, reportedly gunned down by three unknown individuals. This case was never solved.

10) On June 30, 2009, Seaman August Provost was found shot to death and his body burned at his guard post on Camp Pendleton by Petty Officer Jonathan Campos. LGBT community leaders "citing military sources initially said that Provost’s death was a hate crime." Provost had been harassed because of his sexual orientation. Military leaders have since explained that "whatever the investigation concludes, the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy prevented Provost from seeking help." Family and friends believe he was murdered because he was openly gay; Campos committed suicide a week later after admitting the murder, the Navy have not concluded if this was a hate crime.

There isn't anything I can say to make this edgy, witty, or humorous for you... This is what's happening to the LGBT community in this country. Hate crimes aren't a joke and they affect everyone of us in the community,

Be careful out there.

In the house this week, 3 congressmen and women will be presenting a bill that would call for the repeal of the Defense Of Marriage Act, DOMA, a policy that has been violating the LGBT community's rights since 1996. This is not the first attempt that has been made to take down the discriminatory legislation, but I hope that it will be the last.

The consevatives have hi-jacked the moral fiber of the nation! I mean, there are the great moral leaders such as...

John Ensign of Nevada (way to defend marriage from the gays by sleeping with another woman)
Larry Craig of Idaho (a men's bathroom playmate)
Mark Foley of Florida (the alleged child molester and soon to be radio host)
Michael Duvall of California (big sex talker that blames the media for what HE said)
Paul Stanley of Tennesse (another defender of marriage by sleeping around, then his mistress's boyfriend threatened to post naughty picutres of the senator on the internet unless the then senator gave him $10,000) <- per Huffington Post
Mark Sanford of South Carolina (defending marriage with his Agentinian mistress)

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the opponents we face are righteous and valiant but we will overcome.

Come on... If those guys are what we're up against, they wouldn't stand a chance if the LGBT community took a united stand for equality against them! Get on your congresspeople's nerves with all the emails and letters that you and your friends write!

Go to www.senate.gov and look under "Senators" in the top left section to find your state's senators
Go to www.house.gov and look under "Representatives" on the left hand side to find your state's congresspeople

It's the easiest way that you can make a difference.

God bless America

Sigourney Weaver received an Emmy nomination for her role as Mary Griffith in the made for tv movie called 'Prayers for Bobby' and I'm hoping she wins it! The movie hit close to home for many that watched the story unfold... it hit way too close to home for me.

I read through some of the comments that were left on the movie's page on the lifetime website... it was one of the hardest things that I've had to do in quite some time. The raw emotion that this topic brought out of people was truly moving, endearing, heart-wrenching, and painful all at the same time. Page after page, people from all sides of the discussion commented and expressed their views, experiences, and feelings; most of them from LGBT's wanting to express their gratitude for the creation of this movie.

This movie moved me to tears repeatedly...

The pain that comes with that moment in a gay person's life is almost indescribable, and that's why this movie touches so many of us in the community. Simply because there aren't words that we can put together to explain how we felt and thought during that point in our lives; this movie offers an extraordinary depiction of what happens in many families, mine included.

Based on a true story, the movie depicts the story of a young gay teenager coming out to his conservative, Christian family. It also explores how Mary disapproves of her son’s sexual orientation and tries to change him through prayer and psychiatry. After his death, she questions her faith and eventually becomes an advocate for gay rights.

This story is tragic, yes, but after realizing the error of her ways, Mary Griffith set out to work with PFLAG (Parents, Families, And Friends of Lesbians, and Gays) in order to prevent more tragic stories like her son's. I've said before that we should be waging a social war for our equal rights, and I still stand by that because it took the death of this women's son to realize that there's nothing wrong with being gay. Mary Griffith blames herself for the death of her son to this day, acknowleding that had she supported and loved her son that he'd still be alive.

Stay strong ladies and gentlemen because the next generation needs our help! Look for ways to reach out to the next generation of LGBT's in your community, because they might not have anyone else there for support.

For more information on where you can find more information, contact me at leo@citizenzero.us and I'll point you in the right direction.

God bless America

13,000 American soldiers have been dishonorably discharged since "Don't Ask Don't Tell" was passed in 1993 under the Clinton administration. The original blame should fall on that administration for passing a bill like this, but it is clearly stated that the original intent of the bill's implementation was to allow LGBT soldiers to serve more freely. The road to hell is paved with good intentions...

Now fast forward 16 years in the future, 13,000 soldiers later, and 2 strong Congressional opponents of DADT later... you'll find former President Bill Clinton defending his reasons and good intentions for the passage of the bill, you'll find that our military is severely strained while waging two wars, and you'll also find that 75% of the public polled by USA Today state that gays should be allowed to serve openly. The nation will also see the Senate Armed Services Committee holding hearings after their August break on this exact issue; there have been numerous accounts and statements from top military posts to the effect of repealing or reviewing this legislation. This is a great first step after the original proposition to repeal DADT couldn't muster up the required 60 votes in the Senate, and we should all look closely to the progress of these hearings.

What you won't see is the President of the United States coming forward and directly supporting the repeal of this legislation that is responsible for 287 discharged men and women since the current administration took office. Then candidate Obama came out in support of repealing DADT, but has since failed on his dedication to the LGBT community. Another big step that you won't see is major Democratic support for the effort in both chambers of Congress to repeal DADT... why is that? The reason is simple... LGBT rights are TABOO! Politicians don't want to upset the status quo, and perhaps they're just following the leader? President Obama's administration upheld the status quo in another Gay rights debate, so I'm assuming that politicians are just taking their marching orders from the top when it comes to the LGBT community.

WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?!?!?!?!

FOLLOW THE LINK AND SIGN THE PETITION in support of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's upcoming ASC hearings!

http://www.kirstengillibrand.com/signup?id=0003&ad=G-content-national-dadt

This is the easiest thing that you can do to get your name on a list of supporters that want Congress to repeal DADT!

God bless America.

Recently, it was made public that the Obama administration is looking to uphold the status quo in regards to the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA, in a new briefing released regarding the California legislation against gay marriage. We all know that perhaps I'm beating a dead horse on this issue, but this is a horse that should be beaten to a bloody pulp until it gets taken care of... I've written about the significance of "seperate but equal" in this country before and the invalid status it carries, yet millions of Americans still choose this practice for the LGBT community. In 2009, we are left with the option of seperate but equal or nothing!

In Nevada, Domestic Partnerships are finally legal and the first permits will be handed out on October 20th... this is a great victory for the community in Nevada and it's welcomed news to the thounsands of LGBT members in the state; shouldn't legislation go further to protect our civil rights though? Why should any one couple be held to a different standard? Domestic Partnerships are a valued commodity in today's LGBT reality, and it's a small step on the road to equality... I just never would have thought that the liberal president in office would be just as condemning as dubya... (George W. Bush... my best friend)

Congress has been given the signal to wait it out and see how the chips fall when it comes to DOMA... let the states fight it out, I'm sure that equality will come from the states first. Just like racial equality and women's rights did, I'm sure they will. The go ahead has been officialy given for Congress to turn a blind eye to the issues of the gay community... Congress and this President better pick their battles more wisely unless they want a black eye in 2010 and 2012.

We should demand to be taken more seriously as a demographic...

God bless America I suppose...

"That's gay!" ... why is this normal for people in our day and age to say? It's used to describe something that's dumb, stupid, or lame, so is that what the LGBT community has been reduced to?

It's about taking ourselves out of our comfort zones and speaking out when we hear someone we do or don't know saying it... people know that it could be seen as offensive but they say it anyway because nobody has told them otherwise. Think about it, most conversations you'll have regarding this phrase or others will likely end up with, "I didn't know you felt that way" or "I didn't think it was a big deal, you never said anything?" They're right! if we allow ignorance to fester, guess what... it will.

It can be uncomfortable to have to actually do something on behalf of yourself or perhaps even other people, but our society has to get to the point where ignorance is not tolerated any longer. "Everybody says it" is another one that you'll hear, but just tell them that nobody that knows YOU should be saying, plain and simple. This argument crosses gender, race, orientation, ethnic, and political lines; I was forwarded a video by a friend today that really made me think about the words that I hear and the words I personally allow to be said around me. Here it is.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what our community can do to win the social debate for our equal rights… since the country’s starting to let our plight for equality take the back burner. There are many ways to come at this problem; there are the far lefters and the radicals that want to protest and picket, that’s fne but nobody really cares about protests in this country. Then you have the moderates that want to work from within the system, and that works great as well over a potentially extended amount of time like the organizations for other civil rights movements from the 60’s. I’m saying that our community go on a nationwide PR campaign to improve our public image! It works for this nation’s largest corporations, why couldn’t it work for us?

Think about it, you’ve got oil companies putting out commercials on how much they’re trying to save the environment, when really only a fraction of one percent of their total company’s budget is dedicated to more fuel efficient technologies. Then you have some of the global conglomerates coming out in support of healthy options at their restaurants, green labels on their products, and community outreach programs after their company had a hand in devastating the community they’re now helping. If it can work for them… why not the LGBT community?

It’s simple PR, we have got to get positive exposure! I know that a lot of us are going to be resistant to actually having to do something, but it’s something that has to be done! I have a few general ideas that can be done between the major LGBT groups and organizations here in Vegas, but we would definitely need the help of regular people like you and I. One thing that I was thinking that we could do is to volunteer as a community to organize fundraisers for different charities, who doesn’t like helpful people? We could all participate in the race for the cure event next year, the march of dimes next year, and plenty of other events that would get us out in the public eye as productive members of society.

It’s the cold hard truth that we have to prove ourselves to society… I’m sorry to say it, but it’s the truth. The conservatives are always going to win the social debate over our role in society if we don’t do something to condradict those statements! I’m not talking about running pro-gay events and educational seminars on homophobia… no! We need to get involved in what other people are passionate about, so that we can forge bonds in other communities, thus building more support for our agenda without having to fight to the death against the conservatives.

If there is a group that is fighting against breast cancer, we should be there in support of them, both financially and in numbers! If there is a group advocating for the homeless, we should be there too! We should organize and volunteer within the city limits at soup kitchens, women’s shelters, charities, fundraisers, and anything else that will get us in the news for being the good people that we already are!

Plus… who wouldn’t like to get their picture in the newspaper or be interviewed on the news? We’d be the most fabulous humanitarians in the state!!!

Once we get out there and start becoming involved with making our local community a better place, it will catch on and people will start to realize that we’re not the social deviants that the religious right makes us out to be. The public will see that we’re kind hearted, caring, and good people just like everyone else, and that we deserve equal rights just like everyone else. That’s our final goal, isn’t it? I’ve said it on my blog before that we can play the political game, we can play the radical game, but nothing’s going to matter if we haven’t played and won the social game! In my opinion, our community has to first change the hearts and minds of regular people before we can change Washington.

Give it a try, even if you’re the only one there! Be out and proud while volunteering, and change one mind at a time!

God bless America.

Earlier this month, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand presented an ammendment to a Department of Defense spending bill that would place an 18 month moratorium on the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell legislation that was passed by Congress in 1993. Prominent Democrats in the Senate such as Majority Leader, Harry Reid, came out earlier this month in support of the Matthew Shepard hate crime legislation as well as Senator Gillibrand’s moratorium bill, stating that he’d repeal the DODT law altogether. This proposal by the senator was later shelved after the Supreme Court refused to hear a case from a soldier that was discharged in 2004 after being discovered as being gay. Earlier this week, the Senate Armed Services subcommittee held a hearing on DODT, and Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania testified in order to repeal the DODT legislation.

Congressman Murphy is fighting on our behalf, not because he’s gay, but because he knows that the service men and women of the military are looking for other men and women that are willing to fight by their side. He challengess Congress to accept our soldier’s professionalism and willingness to serve next to openly gay soldiers; Congressman Murphy is also the first and only Iraq veteran to be elected to Congress. Smart guy.

This is big news…

In an interview with Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, he told reporters that the office of the President has issued executive orders that have changed the political landscape of the military in the past, citing President Truman’s desegragation of the military in 1948; however, Secretary Gates went on to say that these measures took the Truman administration over 5 years in order to reach completion. Gates stated that his office has barely begun to speak with the Obama administration of DODT policy, offering an explanation for the slow progress, he said, “If we go down that road,” it was important “we do it right and in a way that mitigates any downsides.”

This brings to the forefront the idea again of an executive order from the office of the President to end DODT…

According to the US News and World Report, 296 service men and women have been discharged under the Obama administration, with no movement on the President’s behalf towards rectifying this situation. Congressman Murphy is gaining prime support from various factions within the Democratic and Republican parties (mainly the Deomcrats obviously) with his claim that it is more costly for the military to train a replacement for these discharged gay soldiers. We all know that the fastest way into a Republican’s heart is through their wallets, so perhaps this will be a successful tactic.

Either way, it appears as if the Obama administration will be keeping a tight lip about gay rights until they can get healthcare panned out in Congress. It looks like the LGBT community will have to wait until healthcare legislation is done before their voices will be heard.

Two bills in one month against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in Congress, is someone going to tell the President that we’re all talking about this?

God bless America.