On Anger

There are days like today when what I feel more than anything is anger. Allowing anger to motivate—indeed, control—my thoughts and actions goes against what I speak about and hope to achieve within myself. This shortfall, in itself, is enervating for me; I get mad about being mad.

I grow defensive and rigid. I brace myself against anticipated assaults. I steel my gaze, my mouth draws tight, and my heart hardens.

I recognize that on whatever level, I’ve chosen to be angered by the telemarketer, the man at the gym who’s hogging the machine I want to use, the woman in traffic who is talking on her cell phone and, in her inattention, doesn’t allow me to turn. It’s my choice to let the dog’s yapping irritate me, to get riled at the preening politician or preacher on TV who’s claiming things that aren’t true.

I look at people and rather than seeing each as a child of God, I dehumanize them, viewing them as a series of threats and inconveniences. Yesterday, I tweeted a quote from Buddha – “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” While I hope this advice is useful to others, in this instance it was directed at myself. Setting up the world such that everyone and everything I encounter is a threat is the worst punishment I could levy. It’s like signing up to be a victim of terrorism where I am the terrorist!

I'm convinced that many of us deal with this on an ongoing basis. We wake each morning and prepare ourselves for battle, never mind whether it's necessary or even useful on a given day. We’re armed to the teeth and ready to fight.

As I sit here, in this condition, I'm aware that it’s quite literally eating me alive. So I take a few breaths. That helps. I get up and close the door to the room so I am alone. This, too, helps. My terrier Susie comes and sits by me, close enough that we share warmth, but leaving me my autonomy. I feel a little heart-swell of gratitude toward her, the beginnings of what I want to feel more generally.

We know meditation helps us de-escalate. We know prayer (meditation’s more assertive cousin?) is useful as well. But I have a damned hard time getting myself to sit down and do either. Fury is so much quicker, and it’s seductive. It tells me I’m at odds with the world, that I’m right and the world is wrong. But this is a lie. I’m merely shadow-boxing. And the sooner I can get that through my thick head, the more solidly I’ll be back on the path I wish to travel.

Step one for me? Don’t simply create the sort quiet space I just described. The key is to quit fighting the anger. Simply let it be. The anger will melt as it loses its relevance.

Wow. Hard work.

Can Obama win again in 2012?

A current CNN poll suggests that if the election were held today, Obama would beat a challenge from Sarah Palin, but would face stiff competition from former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

My questions is what must Obama do in the next two years to secure a second term -- Compromise with GOP on taxes and cuts? Hardline on social issues? Make good on his 2008 promises to the LGBT community? Address immigration reform head-on?

I'll tell you what I think later. For the moment, you tell me what Mr. Obama should to do lock in a second term.

On Nat'l Coming Out Day, Oklahoma Conservative PAC leader calls me "a confused 'thing'."

I woke to a couple of voicemails this morning letting me know I, along with LGBT people everywhere, were maligned yesterday in a blog post by Charlie Meadow, the head of Oklahoma's Conservative PAC (OCPAC.) You can read Mr. Meadow's blog here.

I've been working to help elect Brittany Novotny to Oklahoma House District 84. This came after I became aware of the rhetoric of her opponent, social conservative Sally Kern, who galvanized the nation's LGBT community in 2008 by calling gays the biggest threat to America today, bigger than terrorism.

In his blog, Mr. Meadow speculates that the anti-Kern ad my company made is in violation of Oklahoma's election laws (it's not) and calls me and Novotny's supporters "a confused bunch of 'things'" and insists on referring to Ms. Novotny, who is a transgender woman, as "he."

Ironically, Mr. Meadow posted his inflammatory blog on National Coming Out Day.

I took a couple of deep breaths before drafting this response:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 13, 2010

Charlie Meadow
Oklahoma Conservative PAC

Oklahoma City, OK

via email

Dear Mr. Meadow,

After reading your most recent blog post, I must thank you for your flattering words on the production values of the TV spot SALLY IGNORES SENIORS. Despite other things you said in this post, the compliment was a day brightener.

I’m especially flattered that you would think the spot cost in excess of $5,000 to create. Actually, with union voice-over, licensing of images and a couple of film clips, the spot cost Three Things Media $1,635. Add the ad buy and we still came in under $5k. You may sleep better tonight knowing your worries about a violation of Oklahoma election law are moot. (I’ll be happy to provide line-item open books on all expenditures, to you or anyone, after the Nov 2nd election.)

You are also correct on an important point--the spot was created, produced, and is airing completely independent of Ms. Novotny’s campaign. This is about Sally Kern and her long record of putting anti-gay politics over the needs of her constituents and local business.

That said, I must object to your continuing to disparage–indeed dehumanize–gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. It’s ironic that in the same posting where you voice displeasure at a political ad, you don’t seem aware of the implications of your own speech. You’re not conjecturing in a public forum (where it’s fair game) about an elected politician’s record, you’re maligning a whole class of Americans.

This comes at a time when media attention is focused on the tragedy of suicide among young LGBTs, and increased awareness of how bullying and speech such as yours can help push vulnerable young people to the brink.

While I live in California now, I spent plenty of time in Oklahoma City as a kid. My family is from Oklahoma. My parents met at Phillips University in Enid. They went on to be schoolteacher missionaries, representing a variety of Oklahoma Disciples of Christ congregations. I wrote a book on the subject.

And sir, the way you talk about others is not how decent Oklahomans talk.

You have a history of tone-deaf remarks. Mrs. Kern recognized this and censured you on her website after you labeled Ms. Novotny "a confused it.” Now you’ve put Sally in that unenviable position of apologist again. As much as I disagree with Sally’s politics, it’s not fair for you to burden her with your hyperbolic excesses.

Furthermore, we gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders – in Warr Acres as in West Hollywood, in Bethany as in Bethlehem, PA -- are not a confused bunch of its (or things.) We’re human beings, sir.

And, in fact, we’re not confused; we’re clear on where we stand. It turns out a person gets to know his or herself quite well after being repeatedly spat upon and having the stuffing kicked out of ‘em, be it literally or figuratively.

The confused one is you. You seem to have a tough time wrapping your head around Ms. Novotny’s gender, and you take glee in heralding this ignorance to those who will listen.

In your post, you ask, “How can this confused bunch of ‘things’ know what Sally did or did not do?”

The answer is the Internet, sir. Via the Internet, one can read nearly every article ever written about a legislator, examine their voting record, and see many of their speeches. That’s how it works in 2010. Yesterday, for instance, I watched a (actually fascinating) City Council Meeting in Norman where social issues were being discussed. Charlie, if you need assistance getting up to speed on how to use the Internet for research, someone at OCPAC can help you. Hell, I’ll give a few pointers if it’ll bring you on board with the rest of us.

I regret that I will not be able to attend your OCPAC lunch this Wednesday. I would love to be able to present these concerns to you in person, man to man. More than anything, I’d like to know if you could look me in the eye – as a fellow child of God, practicing Christian, and philanthropist – and call me a “thing” face to face, continuing to deny my humanity along with the humanity of others who may not lead their lives in precisely as you do.

Sincerely,

Ben Patrick Johnson

Executive Director, The Ben Patrick Johnson Foundation
Board Member, Equality California Institute

Sally Kern Ignores Seniors

SALLY KERN (R-OK) is one of the most notoriously antigay politicians in America today. She's up for reelection on Nov 2nd. I say 'no' and encourage Oklahomans to do the same. To that end, I created and produced the following TV commercial. It runs starting next week on FOX NEWS and CNN in Oklahoma City.

Since being elected, Sally has neglected Oklahomans in favor of her own narrow/radical social agenda. Maligned in local and national press for her embrace of extremist views which have scared away business, Kern is being challenged in District 84 by pro-business, pro-seniors transgender attorney Brittany Novotny.

IT GETS BETTER Project

There has been much reporting recently about gay teen suicides following taunting or abuse. Whether there's a sudden uptick in incidents or whether a heightened sensitivity to the subject matter has caused news outlets to run more stories is a matter for discussion. But many of us in America, and perhaps most surprisingly in the gay community, are seeing the magnitude of this problem for the first time. Some of us have been struggling with how to respond. Journalist Dan Savage came up with an idea. It's fantastic, even if it's just a jumping-off point. He calls it the IT GETS BETTER Campaign.

He's encouraged adult lesbians, gay, bisexuals and transgenders to post videos on YouTube talking directly to LGBT teens, especially those who feel trapped in bad situations. Dan asked us to talk to the teens about the various traumas around being gay we faced growing up, and how we now have rich adult lives.

Here's my contribution:

To vist the IT GETS BETTER Project YouTube page, click here: youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject

Trans Friends -- What Shall We Call You?

I got blasted by a series of people on Twitter in @ responses and DMs recently for using the term "homophobic" when "transphobic" would have been more accurate. The concern expressed was in regard to visibility and being "disappeared."

It brought up a question on labels and identity. As an LGBT activist, I want to use language that dignifies all the members of our rainbow. So ... how to you like to be referenced? Transgender? Transgendered? Transsexual? I've been present as Ashley Love and others trans activists have spoken publicly against the term "tranny" for its potentially demeaning associations. But what are other hot button no-no's, and what do you prefer?

I understand that different people have different experiences, backgrounds, and physical states, so there won't be one single, definitive answer. But please help me and other ignorant/well-intentioned allies at least use terms that dignify you. I invite all *polite* weigh-ins.

It's one thing to not endorse gay marriage. It's quite another for bishops to spend donated money in an unabashed political effort to take away civil rights vs. feeding and clothing the poor and seeing to the practical and spiritual needs of Minnesota Catholics.

Perhaps most egregious is the video using factual falsehoods and deception to make its point vs. keeping its references contained to actual Catholic doctrine on which the bishops have reasonable authority to comment.

Tuesday's Minneapolis Star-Tribune shares news of the church's disappointing foray into civil politics:

Catholics to get DVDs opposing gay marriage

Critics say the mailing, from state bishops, is aimed at November voters.

By MARY JANE SMETANKA, Star Tribune

More than 400,000 DVDs are being mailed to the homes of Minnesota Catholics on Wednesday, courtesy of Catholic bishops in the state who want to stop the campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in its tracks.

The 18-minute DVD includes an appearance from St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt in which he says it is time for Minnesotans -- not the "ruling elite" of legislators and judges -- to vote on a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Thirty-one states have passed such an amendment.

"It is the people themselves and not politicians or judges who should make this decision," Nienstedt says on the DVD. "This is the only way to put the one man, one woman definition of marriage beyond the reach of the courts and politicians."

Gay advocates who have worked to change the Catholic Church's stand on same-sex marriage said that coming six weeks before the November general election, the DVD distribution is aimed squarely at voters.

"It's an effort to have Catholics vote the way the bishops want them to vote, but by and large Catholic voters are well-educated and they are independent-minded," said Brian McNeill, president of Dignity Twin Cities. The group for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people works to change what it calls the "antiquated sexual theology" of the church. "We would like to talk to the archbishop about it, but he won't talk to us," McNeill said.

Michael Bayly, executive coordinator of the Twin Cities-based Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities, said that because gubernatorial candidates Mark Dayton of the DFL and Tom Horner of the Independence Party support same-sex marriage, the chances are great that Minnesota could have a governor who supports what Bayly calls "marriage equality." He called the DVD "almost a last-ditch effort to try and influence Catholics to turn the election to ensure that doesn't happen."

"It would be really tragic if that succeeded, but I don't think they will," Bayly said.

The "educational packet" produced by the Minnesota Catholic Conference, which represents bishops covering the state, includes the DVD and an introductory letter from each local bishop. The video includes Nienstedt's six-minute appearance and a 12-minute video produced by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, warning of the damage that same-sex marriage will do to families, especially children.

The Knights of Columbus video includes appearances by a civil rights advocate who quotes the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a Princeton University professor who says that the well-being of kids is threatened when they don't grow up in a traditional family. The video warns that if same-sex marriage becomes the law, public schools would teach that same-sex marriage is OK regardless of what parents think and that the religious liberty of Catholics and others would be threatened. It says that people who oppose same-sex marriage would be seen as bigots who could be prosecuted and that the accreditation of parochial schools and tax-exempt status of those schools and churches would be threatened.

Similar DVDs have been sent out in other states, including California and Maine, said Dennis McGrath, spokesman for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He said it was his understanding that the bishops jointly decided to send out the packets here.

"I think they felt the situation had gotten to the point that they had to do something," McGrath said. "They couldn't stand by and let this thing go any further. The same-sex marriage train was chugging ahead."

State Sen. John Marty, a Roseville DFLer who has authored proposals to make Minnesota's marriage laws gender-neutral, said Tuesday that he will renew those efforts if he wins reelection this fall. He said the bishops are free to express their opinions but that he believes that shifting public attitudes about same-sex marriage and gay rights have moved Minnesotans past the debate the bishops seem to want to create.

"I think the constitutional amendment push died about four or five years ago," Marty said. "Even the strongest proponents realize that it's time has passed, and it's not going to happen. Times are changing."

The church mailings were paid for with a private donation, McGrath said.

Mary Jane Smetanka • 612-673-7380

Link to the original story on startribune.com -- http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/faith/103494984.html?page=1&c=y

A Secret Gay Millionaire's Club?

September 15, 2010

Pastor Paul Blair
Fairview Baptist Church
Edmund, Oklahoma

Dear Pastor Blair,

I'm dropping you a note to introduce myself after we were both featured in the Kern-Novotny story this AM on CNN. I'm writing you in hopes of building bridges, not burning them. More than anything, I would like to try and put some fears to rest for you and clear up some mistaken information.

You and I are on opposite sides of a political race, but we have many things in common. We're people of faith -- my parents were both ordained ministers who spent their adult lives in the Lord's service as Disciples of Christ missionary schoolteachers as well as in secular schools. I myself attend Hollywood United Methodist.

You and I also have strong Oklahoma roots -- my mother was born and raised in OKC, my parents went to Bible college at Phillips, and my mother keeps ties there. While I live in California now, I remember well summers spent at my grandmother's Oklahoma City home -- the sticky heat, the tornadoes, and of course the wonderful people I met and called friends.

It's really hard for me -- after spending much of my own adult life fighting for human rights for Christians, Jews, Muslims, gay and straight alike -- to hear from Sally that I'm a greater threat to America than terrorism: Really? While pursuing a career in acting and writing, I've followed my parents' example of being of Christian service and have done my best to help feed and clothe the needy, lend financial support to women in impoverished countries across the globe, keep gay youth from being beaten up for honestly living who they are, and help America's seniors and veterans live in dignity. As best as I am able, through my many human failings and imperfections, I take marching orders from Christ and his teachings. I know nothing of terrorism or actions that would harm others.

I understand that for many Christians, someone being gay (or transgender, like Brittany) and living it openly is in contrast to teachings they hold dear. It would be unuseful of me to pitch a general fit about this -- again, I'm looking to build bridges, not burn them -- but I wish that instead of jumping so quickly to inflammatory rhetoric, my fellow Christians would look at people's actions, compare those actions to Christ's instructions, and draw conclusions that way. It would serve us ALL better.

I tell myself Sally doesn't realize how the things (many of them half-truths or fabrications) she has said about gay and lesbian people can not merely hurt feelings, but stir the fires of bigotry and violence. We witness gay people in America harmed every day simply for existing -- teased, beaten, killed in vivid and ghastly ways. I can't believe any sincere Christian would condone these outrageous acts. But there seems to be a disconnect for some of my brethren as far as seeing how their hyperbolic speech can (and clearly does) foment decidedly un-Christian action from those who hear or read it.

I'm grateful Sally posted a statement on her website last week distancing herself from Charlie Meadow of OCPAC's pointedly insulting comments about Brittany. Sally showed class, and it was an admirable first step. I wish it didn't run in direct contrast to her own statement of a few weeks ago urging supporters to "get the word out" about Brittany's transgender status, but I'm happy to see Sally publicly turn toward more civil discourse.

As far as the race itself -- as I said in the CNN piece, while I'm heavily involved in LGBT politics, I'm unaware of any secret group of gay millionaires looking to buy/influence elections around the country. Certainly there are organized advocacy groups, and I participate in them -- EQCA, The Task Force, etc. But everything is above board, and contributions are clearly disclosed.

I myself watched as out-of-state contributions from the Church of Latter Day Saints, the Catholics and others fell like an avalanche on the Prop 8 race here in California in 2008, their financial clout burying what messaging and advertising we in-state LGBT people were able to air to support our own rights. It was as if they ripped our freedoms out from under our feet. It felt plain awful.

I cannot speak for Brittany. But I assure you, as her largest out-of-state contributor at this point, while it makes for a convenient target, there is simply NO boogeyman effort afoot to buy or unfairly influence this election. That's made-up rhetoric. There are only individuals like myself who have an interest in not seeing LGBT people maligned and harmed, and who have a personal stake in the welfare of the citizens of Oklahoma and, specifically, House District 84.

I will toss out a soft challenge here, and suggest that for Sally to continue to claim the existence of some coordinated campaign against her or other socially conservative candidates would show her to be dishonest. I sincerely hope she will refrain from spreading that sort of inciting misinformation and stick to issues, as Brittany has likewise vowed to.

I welcome your feedback on any and all of this. Again, we're on opposite sides of a political race but I stand beside you as a Christian in wanting the best for all God's children, including the good people of District 84.

Sincerely,

Ben Patrick Johnson
Executive Director, The Ben Patrick Johnson Foundation
Board Member, Equality California Institute

cc: Brittany Novotny, Sally Kern, AvaDale Johnson (my mother)

Be a real American - Stand up for the Lower Manhattan Mosque

Now is the time for us to stand up adamantly for our Muslim brothers and sisters. They are about to be hit by a flood of hatred, fear, and discrimination. Mark my words.

Watching the news, reading commentaries and blogs, and having conversations ... it's clearer and clearer that the resistance to the lower Manhattan community center is just the tip of the iceberg of a mass of anti-Islamic sentiment brewing in America. We seem intent on incorrectly blaming mainstream Islam for the acts of a handful of angry nutballs who just happen to reference the Koran and revere Muhammed as moderate Muslims do.

From the conversations I've had, mainstream Muslims have no more fond feelings for the terrorists than mainstream Christians do Timothy McVeigh or the various Michigan militia groups that claim Christ as their inspiration. Imagine if the world insisted on viewing those loonies as our standard-bearers!

Forces on the far right are doing their best right now to whip up fear and antipathy against the Manhattan project and, by extension, mainstream Islam. There are actually calls being made in the last couple of days to block the building of ANY new mosques in America, and remarkably, a few have begun calling for Islam to be outlawed altogether.

For compassionate lefties, ACLU free-rights huggers, and conservative Constitutionalists alike, there's now a single mandate. We MUST both protect our First Amendment freedom of religious expression as well as do our best to dissuade those who would make life difficult to impossible for Muslim-Americans.

To ignore this, and allow fear-mongers to frighten us into retreating from our Constitution and principles, is to allow un-American activities, plain and simple.

The truly patriotic thing to do is to defend the Manhattan mosque and free practice of Islamic faith in our nation with all our might.

More thoughts on Gay Pride

I ran across this and wanted to share it. It's too long to tweet, so appropriately, it ends up here at "More Than 140 Characters."

I get sick of listening to straight people complain about, "Well, hey, we don't have a heterosexual-pride day, why do you need a gay-pride day?" I remember when I was a kid I'd always ask my mom: "Why don't we have a Kid's Day? We have a Mother's Day and a Father's Day, but why don't we have a Kid's Day?" My mom would always say, "Every day is Kid's Day."

To all those heterosexuals that bitch about gay pride, I say the same thing: Every day is heterosexual-pride day! Can't you people enjoy your banquet and not piss on those of us enjoying our crumbs over here in the corner?

~Rob Nash

IRS examines Sean Hannity's scam "Charity"

It's a widely-accepted standard that legitimate nonprofits spend at least 70% of contributions on program work. This holds true for both humanitarian and partisan efforts (The Red Cross, Amnesty International, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Whales, Save the Imaginary Goats ...) My BPJ Foundation takes advantages of donated accounting and web assistance so we can pass through a full 100% of receipts. Granted, we pass funds through to third-party organizations who have their own overhead expenses, but only orgs who operate very efficiently.

Over the past half-decade, IRS records show FOX NEWS commentator SEAN HANNITY's Heritage Foundation, which Hannity touts frequently on air, skims over 90% off the top for "private planes, stretch limousines" for Hannity and friends, according to reports, and other undefined "administrative expenses." Again, 90%. Meaning of every dollar Hannity's pontificating extracts from America's pockets, less than a dime goes to provide aid.

Hannity's Foundation passes remarkably little money to veterans and their families.

This is a detail he has yet to cop to. In fact, when challenged he denies it, despite it's being a matter of public record, verifiable by the IRS. This denial of fact requires no small amount of hubris on his part.

I actually lost sleep over this last night. Hypocrisy in general disgusts me, but there is a special place for those who accept money, allegedly to help others in need, and then spend it on luxuries for themselves.

How, in this regard, is Hannity any different from villainous dictators globally who do the same thing -- spend the bulk of aid money for their own pleasure, amusement or military fortification, while those who were supposed to have been helped continue to suffer?

How can people watch Hannity day after day on TV and not ... I don't know ... THROW THINGS at the screen, or get out pitchforks and torches and go after him for his outrageous behavior?
Every dollar Sean Hannity begs for and gets, then spends on limos and chartered planes, makes the work harder for those of us trying to legitimately help people.

He diminishes us all.

Brittany Novotny is a kinder person than I am

The following is a letter Oklahoma City attorney Brittany Novotny wrote to Sally Kern, the incumbent State Representative in her district, politely informing Ms. Kern of Brittany's intention to challenge Kern for her seat in November.

In the letter, Brittany says she'll not be personally attacking Rep. Kern, which is commendable. I do hope there's room, however, for a few of Brittany's bulldogs/fans (self included) to challenge Rep. Kern directly and without reservation, as in my recently posted open letter to Rep. Kern in which I took Kern to task on outrageous statements she's made about gay people and Muslims.

I'm posting Brittany's intent letter not because it contains a bunch of new information, but because it demonstrates what a class act Brittany is. In the letter, Brittany does "go there" briefly, quoting an op/ed piece in which the writer begged Rep. Kern to step down, pleading "... for the good of our state, you must stop embarrassing us."

(Since my letter to Kern, she's made even more inflammatory and absurd statements, including implying that the current recession is somehow a result of gays gaining political power and President Obama acknowledging Gay Pride Month.)

I echo that writer's sentiments and will expand upon them:

For the good of AMERICA, Representative Kern, you must stop embarrassing us!

An Open Letter to Rep. Kern

On 03.25.10, In News, By brittany4hd84

Rep. Sally Kern
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 332
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Re: Our Race to Represent House District 84 – An Open Letter

Dear Rep. Kern:

I’d like to introduce myself to you. We have only been in the same room briefly, when some fellow Young Democrats and I decided to meet at the Capitol on July 2, 2009. And we’ve both been interviewed at various times relating to our race for the legislature. I’m writing today to let you know how I intend to run this race, and to explain why I decided to challenge you for this seat in the legislature.

First, as much as we may disagree about policy or the role of government in the lives of individual Oklahomans, I will not be personally attacking you or your family. I urge my supporters to avoid personal attacks as well. I firmly believe that we can disagree without being disagreeable. Also, as a candidate myself, I feel a new sense of respect for any individual who is confident enough to put themselves on the line to run for a public office. It truly is a public service, and candidates deserve a certain level of personal respect.

With that said, there is no doubt that political races require the candidates to highlight differences. Where we have differences in policy, how we view the future, or how we view the role of government in the lives of individual Oklahomans, you can continue to expect to hear about those things from my campaign.

Next, there are a number of reasons that I decided to challenge you for this seat. It would be folly for me to deny that one of those reasons happens to be that I want to have the job of representing my fellow Oklahomans in the legislature. It’s true. I’m an ambitious person, I’m a confident person, and I’m very passionate about legal and political issues. I want the job of representing Oklahomans and defending the Oklahoma Constitution in our legislature.

The other reason that I decided to challenge you for this seat in the legislature, is that fellow Oklahomans who knew that I’m an ambitious, confident, and passionate person suggested to me that I challenge you. There are many Oklahomans who say they are embarrassed by your words and deeds as a state legislator, and The Journal Record has even devoted an entire editorial admonishing you for your behavior. The editorial opined that your behavior was “damaging [Oklahoma’s] credibility and…inhibiting our state’s ability to conduct business.” The editorial went on to plead, “for the good of our state, you must stop embarrassing us.”

I think most Oklahomans expect their elected officials to conduct themselves professionally, encouraging a sense of community and taking the economic development of Oklahoma seriously. Your record stands in contrast to these expectations. In your nearly six years in the legislature, statements you’ve made and positions you’ve taken on issues have encouraged division instead of unity and pushed new business away from Oklahoma. People are ready for a change.

I believe the people in House District 84 want someone who shares their values of community and personal responsibility and their vision of building a brighter future for our state with jobs, education, and transportation. And I feel that I’m up for that job.

A campaign really is just an extended job interview, and the voters are the boss. Therefore, I’m asking you to agree to a couple of town hall meetings where voters can ask us questions and decide who they believe will do the best job representing them. I hope this is something that interests you. If so, or if any community group is interested in organizing such an event, please contact my campaign.

I look forward to a vigorous debate with you and your campaign through Election Day on November 2.

Regards,
Brittany M. Novotny

Sally Kern to Face Transgender Opponent in Oklahoma

The deliciousness of this story is almost more than I can bear. What a fun run-up to the November election this will be! First up, the news from today headline, and then the backstory.

---

The Advocate (June 9, 2010) - Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern, who has called gay people more dangerous to the country than terrorists, will face a transgender opponent, attorney Brittany Novotny (pictured), in the general election for the Oklahoma City seat this fall.

Novotny, the state's first known transgender candidate, filed papers to run Tuesday.

According to the Tulsa World, Novotny, 30, said she would not focus the campaign on her gender identity, while Kern said she would avoid the issue.

“Novotny said Kern is pushing her personal agenda instead of focusing on issues that are important to House District 84, and because of that, the state and Kern's Oklahoma City district have suffered,” reports the World.

Kern, a Republican, and Novotny, a Democrat, may debate each other once this fall during an annual community forum.

###

---

Why does story this delight me so? Read the open letter I wrote to Sally Kern 2 years ago following her statements that the two great threats facing America today are homosexuals and Islam:

March 21, 2008

Recently, State Representative Sally Kern (R-OK.) gave a speech dealing with gays in America. Her talk was intended for a small audience of supporters. Unbeknownst to her, the legislator’s comments were recorded and have since been widely distributed.

Many have been quick to condemn Rep. Kern from a place of moral indignation. I’d like to add my voice to theirs and, in the process, perhaps expand the conversation by addressing some of Mrs. Kern’s assertions. Here, then, is my open "constructive" letter to Mrs. Kern on gays, Islam, indoctrination, and the machine of bigotry:


March 21, 2008
Mrs. Sally Kern
Oklahoma State House of Representatives, District 84
2713 Sterling Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73127

Dear Representative Kern,

Do you write your own speeches? If so, it might be time to call in a little assistance. In once recent address, dealing with homosexuality in America, you got most of your facts wrong, and the few accuracies you did put forth were knit into the sort of convoluted logic my grandmother used to describe as "cattywumpus." While I’m no professional speechwriter, perhaps I can help you sort some of this out.

You started off with a useful observation:

"[Homosexuality] has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. It has more suicides. They’re more discouraged. There’s more illness. Their life spans are shorter."

Then you went cattywumpus on us:

"You know, it’s not a lifestyle that is good for this nation."

Brava, Madam Representative for noting that being gay in American indeed has deadly consequences! But wait ... so does being Black in America. And for that matter, so do being poor, coming from rural Mississippi, and being Latino. Perhaps, then, none of these ’lifestyles’ are good for the nation. (Here’s the scary part: you seem intellectually unable to differentiate between cause and effect, victim and perpetrator.)

If you systematically tell people they’re no good, hang them from trees, tie them to fences, tire-iron them on the street, look the other way while police harass them, deny them loans, fire them from their jobs, make them ride in the back of the bus, and prevent them from formally expressing love for their partners, it doesn’t make them particularly cheerful. Instead, it causes stress, illness, reduced life spans and a bevy of behavioral concerns like alcoholism and homelessness. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989)

You, Madam Representative, stand by the side of the road and point with disdain to a man who’s been beaten, his body and spirit broken. You report only that he’s dirty and won’t get up on your command. But all the while, it was you calling for his subjugation. This is not just absurd, it’s the backbone of fascism. Look it up. (Robert O. Paxton. The Anatomy of Fascism. Alfred A. Knopf, 2004)

"I honestly think it’s the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorists, or Islam, which I think is a big threat."

Now your ignorance is plainer to see. Still, I want to give you the benefit of the doubt here. I want to believe that you, in your better moments, can distinguish between terrorist Islamic extremists and the peaceful billion-plus practitioners of one of the world’s great faiths. It requires skill akin to that necessary to sort out the face of bomber Timothy McVeigh, who robbed Oklahomans of lives and innocence, from that of your cousin Earl in Lake Aluma, Oklahoma, with whom your biggest beef is that he should get off the couch and do a better job of minding the yard. They’re both pale, blond and speak with a twang. But only one of them blows up people.

(Then again, maybe you can’t grasp the difference between Muslims and Islamic extremists. Maybe everyone who doesn’t look or worship like you is a potential terrorist. I pray this is not the case.)

One of the reasons our great nation was founded was to ensure freedom of religious expression for all. For you, an American lawmaker, to condemn Islam -- practiced peaceably in the U.S. by over 8 million citizens -- as ’a big threat’ is chilling. For that matter, can you explain to me, in concrete terms, how your or your constituents way of life is threatened by the overwhelmingly law-abiding Muslims in America?

I’m discouraged that I now feel the need to parade out statistics regarding Islam and American Muslims like a spokesperson for an Islamic-American organization. I do it to make a point, and more so to draw a line in the sand. Rep. Kern, when you speak ignorantly and hatefully against one group of people, you demean us all. And I will stand beside other oppressed Americans, as groups like the NAACP have stood beside me, in the face of your rhetoric. So here we go:

• One in ten American Muslims is a physician.They treat your baby’s fever and are working on the cures for things like breast cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. (Cornell University, 2002)


• American Muslims’ top choices for cars? GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Apparently, one way Islamics are destroying America is by supporting our ailing domestic auto industry. How dastardly clever of them! (Cornell University, 2002)


• The top five Muslim-American occupations include student, dentist, and homemaker. Radical stuff, eh? (Cornell University, 2002)


• American Muslims are more likely to gain graduate degrees than the national population by an astonishing 4-1 margin. (Cornell University, 2002 with US Census data, 2001).
  
  
• At the same time, in your home state of Oklahoma, it’s by an inverse ratio (an embarrassing 1-in-4) that minority students leave your high schools college-ready.(Manhattan Institute For Policy Research, 2006.)

In fact, based on empirical data, one could argue that it is actually the Oklahoma legislature and school systems (hey, you’ve proudly served in both!) that pose a greater threat to the future of America and its most precious natural resource -- human intellect, ingenuity and know-how -- than do American Islamics. You could call this a stretch of logic, but I’d caution you not to, for it’s certainly more solid than that which you’ve posited.

Nearly all would agree that terrorism in any form is an evil upon society. It is also true that your brand of blanket condemnation of those marginally different from yourself (i.e. Muslims as a group) causes the same pessimism and ’discouragement’ you note among gays. Discouragement turns to outrage. Outrage turns to desperation and fervor.

When this fervor spills over into violence, it’s inexcusable and simply must be denounced. On this, I imagine we’re in full agreement. But, Rep. Kern, do you honestly wonder why people suffer when you continue to condemn them? Are you so coocooned in fear and isolationism that you’ve lost a basic understanding of human dignity and spirit?

You could have stopped, Rep. Kern. But you went on with your speech:

"It’s a matter of fact, studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades."

(Let me pause to remind readers there are also those who flatly deny the Holocaust happened. To my knowledge, however, none are State Representatives.)

But to the point, this assertion was the easiest to disprove. Just which facts and studies are you citing, Congresswoman? From which institutions? Are you, perhaps, referencing studies that exist in your imagination? Because here’s what a 30-minute ’study’ on wikipedia.org turned up:

• In Rome, starting with Nero, eleven out of twelve Emperors -- a position more powerful than our U.S. President -- partnered with same-sex lovers. Emperor Marcus Aurellus even married one in a public ceremony. This encompasses over 168 years -- not a few decades. (Thomas K. Hubbard: Homosexuality in Greece and Rome, London 2003. Also, Potter, David Stone, The Roman Empire at Bay, Routledge)


• In ancient Greece, even conservative historians and scholars now concede same-sex partnering was for centuries "part of the social structure of the polis."(Bruce S. Thornton, Eros: the Myth of Ancient Greek Sexuality, Westview Press, 1997)


• In traditional Melanesian society, same-sex relationships have been treated as quite normal for hundreds of years (that’s centuries, not decades.) However, in the past 60 years, Melanesians have begun to reject homosexuality, predominantly because of condemnation from European Christian missionaries. (emphasis mine) (Herdt, Gilbert H. (1984), Ritualized Homosexuality in Melanesia, University of California Press)

Three examples seems plenty when it’s clear that, in direct contrast to your claims, a number of societies on many continents have ’totally embraced’ gays. Furthermore, much of this tolerance went on for longer than there’s been an America, longer than there’s been an Oklahoma, and far longer than there’s been a Sally Kern denying truths that are quickly verifiable via Internet or a glance in a history book.

"I tried to introduce a bill last year that would notify parents, err, schools had to let parents know what clubs their students were involved in and the reason I did that bill, primarily, was this: we had the gay-straight alliance coming into our schools. Kids are getting involved in these groups, their lives are being ruined, the parents don’t know about it."

Once again, Rep. Kern, you’ve turned logic on its head by confusing victim and perpetrator.

I challenge you -- present me with one real case of a student’s life being ruined as a direct result of their joining a gay-straight student alliance. Do so, and I (or The Trevor Project, or the Gay-Straight Alliance Network) will reply with a hundred cases where high school students were harassed or otherwise had their lives ’ruined’ (your choice of words) because of intolerance from misunderstanding classmates, closed minded teachers -- gay students report hearing anti-gay slurs up to 26 times a day; faculty intervention occurs in only 3% of those cases (Massachusetts Dept. of Education, 1997).

But where our gay youth suffer most is at hands of the same under-educated parents you want legally informed of their teenagers’ efforts for acceptance. Even you can’t be ignorant to the fact that over half of today’s openly gay teens report their parents reject them because of their sexual orientation, many thrown from their homes and demonized. (Gary Remafedi, Pediatrics, Issue 79, 1987.)

I know ... because I’ve met hundreds of these youth personally and in forums, sat and listened to their misgivings, and been witness their bruises, injuries both visible and hidden. Have you?

"Cause, what’s happening now, they’re going after, err, in schools, two year olds! You know why they’re trying to get early childhood education? They want to get our young children into the government schools so they can indoctrinate them."

Or, try the truth instead: The reason organizations like EQCA (on whose board I serve here in California) and other tolerance groups nationwide want anti-gay bias taken out of our nation’s classrooms and textbooks (what you call "indoctrination") is so that we can once and for all begin to dismantle the ugly machinery of bigotry.

It’s a machine fueled by sludgy voices like yours, revved by occasional bursts of high-octane hysteria, maintained and oiled by ignorance and fear, and the result is denigrated quality of life for gays, their families, and those around them.

The bigotry machine chews up Islamics, Jews, Atheists, those richer than us, those poorer than us, those with funny-sounding last names or big noses or eyes that close when they laugh. A century ago, it ran on Irish bones, and Italians proved fodder soon thereafter. Blacks have been a perennial favorite. Ultimately, the machine doesn’t care what you put in its chute, just that people like you, Rep. Kern, keep it well-stoked.

Then, I wonder what you are really afraid of with your talk of "indoctrination"? Teaching school kids that it’s okay if a classmate is gay won’t alter their own preference any more than walking out into a field and looking up at the sky can turn my eyes blue. (I borrow this poignant imagery from a Human Rights Campaign posting.)

I’ll end with a suggestion:

"I taught school for close to 20 years..."

Then perhaps it should be no wonder, given that your your logic is inscrutable and your positions mostly unsupportable, that only 1-in-4 minority students are currently leaving your Oklahoma Public School classrooms -- where you are proud to have taught for 20 years -- with the skills necessary to get them into college.

While Oklahoma does have a strong number of high school graduates overall, the racial preparedness gap is so wide you could drive a big, shiny U.S. Army Recruitment trailer through it.

My advice, then? Your position is not bolstered by trumpeting the ’accomplishments’ of your previous career. Better to stick with the hate speech. It’s quicker, requires less messy reliance on facts, plus it plays on people’s fears without causing them to think. And trust me, with the rationale you’ve floated in this recent speech, the last thing you want people to do is pause to give those arguments real thought.

Representative Kern, I’m a staunch supporter of free speech, including speech as damning and potentially volatile as your own. I support your right to make political mincemeat of yourself (not that, apparently, you’ve needed any help.)

All the same, while I’m glad to have been able to offer you these pointers, I can only hope your constituents will render my advice moot by providing you a swift, merciful, and permanent exit from both public office and the profession of teaching. We, as Americans, deserve better, both from our legislators and our educators.

Sincerely,

BEN PATRICK JOHNSON
LOS ANGELES, CA