Queer Oakland

While Daddy is turning to his former vice-presidential pick to help support his campaign, Meghan McCain is making waves of her own. She gave a speech at George Washington university chiding Republicans for their stance on gay rights amongst other things. The money quote?

“I am not saying let’s just abandon the core ideals that the Republican Party was built on,” McCain said, repeating it for emphasis. “I am saying make room for all of the Republicans, and let’s start evolving with the times. We must evolve or we’ll die.”

She has a point methinks, however it begs the question: Are Republicans capable of campaigning on anything besides fear or hate of the unfamiliar or the other? My guess is not so much…

So perhaps you’ve heard of that girl in Mississippi who wanted to wear a tux and bring her girlfriend to prom and instead of letting her do it the school board decided to cancel the prom all together? Well the federal court ruled today that it wouldn’t force the school to hold a prom but it did find that the board violated the girl’s constitutional rights. Which is a win as far as I’m concerned, despite this headline from the AP.

Well in light of all that a school in Georgia which originally denied a gay boy’s request to bring a boy as his date to his senior prom reconsidered and he’s now a go. Now this is change I can believe in:

After asking Bleckley County school officials permission in January to take another boy to the prom, Martin got word last week that his high school will allow it. Bleckley’s prom is April 17 in the high school cafeteria.

“I didn’t expect them to say yes,” he said. “It’s who I am. I have the same rights.

“It’s my senior prom, and I wanted to be able to prove not everyone would cancel prom.”

Martin, an honor student who tutors at-risk elementary and middle school students after school, knew the move would be controversial for the town of about 5,200 residents.

“At first she said no, Cochran wasn’t ready for it,” he said.

Then last week, school officials said they have no policy in place against it.

“You don’t have the right to say no,” principal Michelle Masters said. “As a principal, I don’t judge him. I’m taught not to judge. I have to push my own beliefs to the background.”

Having dropped out of the race for Governor last fall, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for the number 2 spot over the weekend on CBS 5. If he wins this would put Mr. Newsom a heartbeat away from the Governor’s mansion as well as serving as Chair of the State Land’s Commission and the Commission for Economic Develop and a spot on the UC Regents board and the CSU Board of Trustees.

Watch him make his announcement here.

What is with closeted politicians being the dumbest kind of person? Last week it was Roy Ashburn, Republican State Senator from Bakersfield this week it’s Eric Massa, former Democratic congressman from New York. Who originally stated he was retiring due to health reasons but now it turns it was because of well.. I’ll let him tell it in his own words.

(warning watching  Glenn Beck may be dangerous to your sanity)

We’ve added some links to the Links Page so if you want to check them out please do.  You can click on Links across the top menu bar or simple here.  If you know of a LGBT link that we should list on our site please let us know!  You can always reach us directly at staff@queernetworks.com.  Thanks and have a QUEER day. 

If you’re one of those people who thinks it’s funny to burp out loud in public for comedic effect I think that’s disgusting.  As usual, my word of the day comes from Dictionary.com…

Read more…

Sometimes it seems doing nothing really is the best policy. After months of staying mum on the issue and doing very little in the form of campaigning while potential rivals rose and fell, Jerry Brown announced that he’s officially running for governor of the Golden State…. again. From Mercury News:

Asserting that California needs “someone with an insider’s knowledge but an outsider’s mind” to pull the state out of its economic doldrums, Attorney General Jerry Brown strode into the governor’s race Tuesday morning after taking months to make the inevitable official.

In a 3½-minute video announcement taped from his campaign headquarters in Oakland and transmitted through his campaign Web site, his Facebook page and YouTube, Brown vowed guide the state into a new “period of prosperity.”

“Our state is in serious trouble, and the next governor must have the preparation, the knowledge and the know-how to get California working again,” said Brown, 71, who is seeking to return to the governor’s office after serving from 1975 to 1983.

Watch the video after the jump.

Read more…