Somewhere over the Rainbow

In our world of LGBT rainbows we are blessed with a wonderful variety of colors, like Skittles showering our lives.
I was at a baseball game with my youth group enjoying one of these beautiful crazy happy, sad moments. "How are you?" I asked as the young man sat down beside me. I had noticed him before in passing he was a quite somewhat reserved youth. I always saw him in the company some of our most energetic and popular members so I assumed he was just, you know, O.K.
"Fine" he replied as one of the full time staffers, Judith, introduced us I looked at this person and wondered aloud "who are you?"
"Jesus" he said, "My name is Jesus". I smiled my curiosity piqued "That's my favorite name" I announced.
Jesus, as it turns out is a lanky suntanned young man. His long black hair curling gracefully down his back. He looked thoughtfully at me for a momment and offered,
"I live near here, not far at all". We sat in silence in la sol hermosa del sudoeste watching our team at bat. "Are you in school?" I inquired "Yes" he said proudly and added, "We have so great a diversity, we call it the Skittles Factory".
"I love that concept" I remarked and then asked "So Jesus what are you doing this summer?". He started to reply but Judith proudly piped in "Jesus is going to fly for the first time to attend an Advocacy training program, he was selected out of a list of 500 hundred aplicants to attend." I had been previously eves dropping and now I understand the reason for the laundry list Judith and Jesus had been working on. "Oh that's wonderful." I replied. "I beleave our greatest reward is to have our youth return to us, as they become adults to be the next generation of advocates."

Judith said, "I would love to find someone to write about Jesus." Beaming at the chance to write "I will Judith." I said "Since becoming a volunteer here I have wanted to find a way to contribute."
Jesus looked wistfully and lamented, "I have lived here since I was one year old but but my family has not received any citizenship papers yet."
So here we are. I am sitting next to Jesus, a caring and generous defender of the vulnerable, striving against all odds to become a highly skilled advocate and return to his community. Only one small glitch. If Jesus were to publicly announce himself, he would jeopardise not only his, but also his entire families safety and security in the only country he has ever known and loved. Kind of like a Superman predicament or maybe a Jesus you and I think about a lot.
I could not help but admire Jesus and began to wonder what can I do. And then it occurred to me. We are one in the same, Jesus, you and I. We maintain Anonymity as a thin Vail in the Methodist faith to protect our lives we share with our loved ones, with our church and community against the virtual deportation, excommunication and possible endangering of our mortal love we have for Jesus Christ.
To lose this connection is in many ways a spiritual death penalty for trying to commune with humanity, to help others as Jesus does. I then saw on a bright cloudless day ¡estamos en alguna parte sobre el arco iris!




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SAN FRANSICO REJECTS HRC

HEADLINE NEWS: SAN FRANSICO CALIFORNIA GAY LESBIAN BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY REJECTS HRC'S GENDER EXPRESION EXCLUSSIONARY POLICY.

San Francisco Califonia
The city by the bay has once again lead by example and is the consciousness and eyes of the American GLBT people in rejecting Joe Solmonese and HRC's unrepentant gender exclusionary policy.



If you would like to sign a petition to join this effort please click the post title.


Among the speakers was Donna Rose who said she joined HRC because she believes in Equality, Integrity and Principle. She then said she later left HRC for the same beliefs.
We in Dallas look forward to seeing Donna at the Dallas Black Tie and to hear her again express these outstanding Ideals.
In 2007 the Dallas Black Tie resulted in a $1.27 million net distribution, the largest distribution of any gay and lesbian fundraising dinner in the nation. A high percentage of the proceeds are allocated to local recipients but HRC does receive a very nice share.

It is understood by those of us who strenuously object to HRC's gender exclusionary policy that this opportunity to educate and inform the Greater Gay and Lesbian community cannot be missed.

I contacted Randy Ray, HRC member and CO-Chair of the 2008 Black Tie in a effort to conduct a Educational Initiative as we did in November of this year at the Austin Black Tie. Once again transgender people were turned down. Once again reasons were given as to why it was more important to raise millions of dollars for HRC than to build a working consensus for a gender inclusive ENDA. ENDA will save lives immedatly. It will give Transsexual sex workers a opportunity to compete for the positions they once held. It will give street transgender people a way out from under the bridges and hiding. It will help to curtail the suicides by Transgender people who are so ashamed of their condition and that they are helpless to change that KILLING themselves seems to be the only way to end the pain.

But once again we find ourselves being denied as we were in Houston and New Orleans and all across this nation at HRC events. When you drive up you will see me. Standing on the streets. Being harassed by police and security. Standing up for justice. Stand up for Trans rights.
STAND UP FOR TRANS RIGHTS IN NOVEMBER IN DALLAS TEXAS. TELL HRC HELL NO. WE ARE AS DESERVING AS ANYONE TO BE PROTECTED BY LAW. WE WANT HRC TO PROJECT THIS MESSAGE TO CONGRESS WITH ALL MEANS AVAILABLE. TODAY.