IN CELEBRATION OF PRIDE – MUSIC VIDEOS

I thought I would share some of my favorite videos to get you pumped and ready for Gay Pride celebrations around the world……ENJOY!!!!   HAPPY PRIDE!!!

MADONNA – Human Nature

KRISTINE W – Land of the Living

ERASURE – A Little Respect (HMI Redux)

DEEE-LITE – Power Of Love

ULTRA NATE – Free

CYNDI LAUPER – You Don’t Know

RUPAUL – Free To Be

SIR ARI GOLD – Love Will Take Over

GOSSIP – Heavy Cross

EN VOGUE – Free Your Mind

GEORGE MICHAEL – Outside

LADY GAGA – Born This Way

JANET JACKSON – Together Again

MACKELMORE & RYAN LEWIS – Same Love

You can find all these songs on iTunes or by visiting the artists official website.

Have a safe and HAPPY PRIDE!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

IS THERE REALLY A NEED FOR GAY PRIDE PARADES???

As we head into the month of June – many countries around the world are gearing up for their Gay Pride celebrations, events and parades.  The LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans-gendered) community has a lot to celebrate same-sex couples are able to marry in more countries around the world, gay athletes (especially males) are breaking down the stereotypes in the world of professional sports and each day, more people are letting go of their biased notions of what is to be gay.  Saying this – there is still many people who are threatened by homosexuality.  These people will do anything to block any rights for the LGBT community – they don’t want homosexuals to marry, they don’t want gays and lesbians to be protected against discrimination in the workplace, they don’t want their children exposed to LGBT youth, they oppose gays in the military to serve openly, they detest that young gay boys be allowed into the boy scouts – in fact, they don’t want gays and lesbians to live their authentic lives openly because of their own discomfort and prejudices.  Most people have these prejudices because of their strict religious beliefs (which is a completely different topic in itself).

Many heterosexuals and homosexuals believe that the parade is about people exposing themselves to the world, a big drug and alcoholic sex orgy of people flaunting their sexuality.  People have said such things about Gay Pride parades “we don’t have a straight pride, so why should they have gay pride”, “I don’t want my kids to see this kind of promiscuity”, “why should they have a sex parade?” and other comments of this nature.  So – do we really need to have Gay Pride parades and celebrations around the world?  ABSOLUTELY!  Here is why:

• 1965, Everett Klippert acknowledges to police that he is gay, has had sex with men over a 24-year period, and is unlikely to change.  In 1967, Klippert is sent to prison indefinitely as a “dangerous sex offender,” a sentence which was backed up by the Supreme Court of Canada that same year.
• Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau amendments to the Criminal Code which, among other things, would relax the laws against homosexuality.
• Trudeau’s amendments to the Criminal Code pass, decriminalizing homosexuality in Canada
• homosexuality isn’t something that reared its head in the 20th century – gays, lesbians, bisexual, transgendered people have been with since the dawn of humanity.
• The Stonewall riots (New York, 1969) transform the gay rights movement into a widespread protest for equal rights and acceptance.  Patrons of a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn, fight back during a police raid on June 27, sparking three days of riots.
• 1971, Everett Klippert is released
• 1973, The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from its official list of mental disorders.
• 1977, Quebec, Canada includes sexual orientation in its Human Rights Code, making it the first province in Canada to pass a gay civil rights law.
• Harvey Milk is appointed to the Board of Permit Appeals by San Francisco Mayor George Moscone – he becomes first openly gay city commissioner in the United States.
• January 8, 1978 – Harvey Milk is sworn in as member of the San Fransisco Board of Supervisors.  He ran against 16 other candidates , he wins the election by 30% .  Milk begins his term by sponsoring a civil rights bill that outlaws sexual orientation discrimination.  Only one supervisor votes against it and Mayor Mascone signs it into law.
• November 27, 1978, Harvey Milk and Mayor George Mascone are assassinated by Dan White, another San Fransisco city supervisor.
• 1978, Canada gets a new Immigration Act.  Under the act, being a homosexual is removed from the list of inadmissible classes.
• 1979 – 75,000 people participated in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Washington D.C., in October.  It was the largest political gathering in support of LGBT rights to date.
• 1980 – The Democratic National Convention held at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Democrats took a stance supporting gay rights adding the following to their plank:  “All groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, language, age, sex or sexual orientation.
• 1981, More than 300 men are arrested following police raids at four gay bath houses in Toronto, the largest mass arrest since the War Measures Act was invoked during the October Crisis.  The next night, about 3,000 people march in downtown Toronto to protest the arrests.  This is considered to be Canada’s Stonewall.
• 1982, Wisconsin becomes the first state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
• 1984, The city of Berkeley, California becomes the first city to offer its employees domestic-partnership benefits.
• 1988, Sven Robinson, of the New Democratic Party, goes public about being gay, becoming the first Member of Parliament to do so.
• Delwin Vriend, a lab instructor at King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta, is fired from his job because he is gay.  The Alberta Human Rights Commission refuses to investigate the case because discrimination based on sexual orientation isn’t covered by the Alberta Individual Rights Protection Act.  Vriend takes the government of Alberta to court and, in 1994, the court rules that sexual orientation must be added to the act.  The government wins on appeal in 1996 and the decision is overturned.  In 1997, the case went to the Supreme Court of Canada and on April 2, 1998 the high court unanimously ruled that the exclusion of homosexuals from the province’s Individual Rights Protection Act violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The Supreme Court said that effective immediately the act would be interpreted to include homosexuals even if the province doesn’t change it.  The Alberta government chose to use the notwithstanding clause despite pressure from conservative and religious groups.
• In 1992, The federal court lifts the country’s ban on homosexuals in the military, allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the armed forces.
• 1993, The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is instituted for the U.S. military, permitting gays to serve in the military but banning homosexual activity.
• 1995, The Supreme Court of Canada rules on the case involving Jim Egan and Jack Nesbit, two gay men who sued Ottawa for the right to claim spousal pension under the Old Age Security Act.  The Court ruled against Egan and Nesbit.  However, all nine judges agreed that sexual orientation is a protected ground and that the protection extends to partnerships of lesbians and gay men.
•  1995, a Ontario (Canada) Court judge finds that the Child and Family Services Act of Ontario infringes section 15 of the Charter by not allowing same-sex couples to bring a joint application for adoption.  He rules that four lesbians have the right to adopt their partner’s children.  Ontario becomes the first province to make it legal for same-sex couples to adopt.  British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia followed suit, also allowing adoption by same-sex couples. 
• 1996, The Canadian federal government passes Bill C-33 which adds “sexual orientation” to the Canadian Human Rights Act.
• 1999, The Supreme Court of Canada rules same-sex couples should have the same benefits and obligations as opposite-sex common-law couples and equal access to benefits from social programs to which they contribute.
• 1999, Attorney General Jim Flaherty introduces Bill 5 in the Ontario (Canada) Legislature, an act to amend certain statutes because of a Supreme Court of Canada decision.  Instead of changing the province’s definition of spouse, which the Supreme Court essentially struck down, the government creates a new same-sex category, changing the province’s Family Law Act to read “spouse or same-sex partner” wherever it had read only “spouse” before.  Bill 5 also amends more than 60 other provincial laws, making the rights and responsibilities of same-sex couples mirror those of common-law couples.
• 2000, Vermont (USA) becomes the first state in the country to legally recognize civil unions between gay and lesbian couples.
• 2004, Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Massachusetts (USA)
• 2005, Canada becomes the 4th country to allow same-sex marriage (the first outside of Europe).  Although same-sex marriage was legal in Ontario and British Columbia (2003), Quebec, Yukon, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador (2004) and New Brunswick (2005) – Civil Marriage Act, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut and the Northwest Territory (2005). 
• 2011, New York becomes the largest US State to allow same-sex couples to marry.  The vote comes on the eve of the city’s annual Gay Pride Parade and gives new momentum to the national gay-rights movement.

I find it astounding how – like the civil rights movement – that this type of discrimination against a country’s people was even debated to ensure all were treated equally under the law.  How is it that we needed to debate that people of color should be allowed into the same public space as white people – I find it outrageous and appalling that it took people so long to realize that this was wrong in every sense of the word.  The gay rights movement is a movement to ensure that gays, lesbians, bisexual and trans-gendered people are treated equally and protected under the law.  We are not perverts or sexual molesters.  We are not any more promiscuous than those of the heterosexual preference.  We don’t have a ‘gay agenda’ just like heterosexuals don’t have a ‘straight agenda’…..the hate, bias, prejudice and violence only begins when you add religion into the equation.

Pride Parades – may not have the same ‘grass-roots’ message as it did 40 years ago and has become a huge opportunity for corporations to advertise their products, despite this and the media focusing their reports on scantily clad men and women, the parade and the message the LGBT community is trying to convey is that we are just like you.  I don’t hear people protesting the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans or Caribana in Ontario or Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, why?  Is it because those events are celebrations that are inclusive to all (mainly heterosexuals)?

In a world where 76 countries ban gay sex and 7 have a death penalty (as of June 2010) – Why is it that people still feel so strongly against those who want to celebrate their diversity without any fear of violence or death?  (In most countries).  Uganda held its first Gay Pride Parade recently even though the country has made it clear that they have no tolerance for homosexuality (remember the KILL THE GAYS bill?).  To me – this is the fundamental reasons for Gay Pride celebrations around the world.  France – recently favoured same-sex marriage, yet crimes against the LGBT community have increased.  Russia has insisted they will not tolerate gay propaganda and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has stated that he is opposed to same-sex marriage and will not be influenced by those countries who support it – this has also caused an increase in violence against LGBT people in Russia.

So again, I ask you, is there a need for Gay Pride Celebrations around the world.  I believe so.  History has shown that oppression was never the right route – because when you oppress people they will rise and in the long run, they will win!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one! 

 

CHINA – NEWBORN FOUND IN SEWAGE PIPES.

Coalition of Positive Energy (C.O.P.E.) was created to motive and inspire people to create positive change in the world. 

I write about issues that are of personal interest to me so that people can engage in healthy debates and possibly reach a positive resolution.  The topics/things I advocate the most for are;  the environment, gay and lesbian issues and the ethical treatment of animals.  Needless-to-say, I do become emotional when I hear stories of abuse, neglect, hate and anger against anyone. 

As horrible and sad as this story/video is – I post it because of the positive outcome.  Humans can do amazing things when we act together for the greater good of those who are less fortunate…..as shown in this video reported by CNN:

Take the time to appreciate the life you have and be grateful to have the breath of life, your health and your happiness because some people are not even given the opportunity to live.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

CHICKENS and COWS and PIGS – OH MY! (said like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz….lions and tigers and bears, oh my!)

We know that our digestive system is not made in the same way as the digestive system of carnivorous animals.  Animals in the wild eat meat as a means of survival, it is in their nature.  There was a time when humans had to hunt for food for their survival – that is definitely not true in today’s society.  Humans have become slaves to television, computers, video games, cellular phones and other technologies that keep them inactive.  That inactivity, along with poor diet and nutrition has caused a huge increase in heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illnesses in the western world.  The proof is everywhere….Big Corporations spend billions of dollars mis-informing consumers of how delicious and cheap their foods are.  Why should a consumer buy a healthy leafy green salad when they can buy a triple cheeseburger, topped with bacon, pulled pork and 5 different cheeses?  (My heart stops just thinking about such a burger – instant heart attack).  Coca Cola, McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Swiss Chalet, A&W, Wendy’s, etc., are genius in their marketing campaigns to ensure that people continue to believe their products are okay to consume.

The meat industry is too busy buying off politicians to ensure they tell the public that meat consumption is a healthy choice.  They do not want their consumers to understand the truth about meat consumption on many levels:  the ethical treatment of animals, the health implications and the environmental impact.  Here are some facts regarding meat consumption:

The Ethical Treatment of Animals:

Animals are often beaten and tortured prior to ending up on someone’s plate.  Cows, chickens and pigs are confined to cages that limit their movement.  Some chickens are in spaces so tiny that they can’t even lift their wings.  The pictures and videos I have seen of the torture animals go through remind me of the images of the concentration camps from World War II.  If people really witnessed the murder of animals – they would really think twice before eating them again.

Health Implications:

People are led to believe that they must consume meat to ensure they receive the proper nutrients and minerals – this claim is untrue.  How many times have I heard “your vegan, well how do you get your protein, iron and other benefits that we meat eaters get?  You can’t get it all by eating leaves…hahahaha, I mean fruits and vegetables.”  There are many plant-based foods that ensure we receive the proper nutrients we are supposed to get in the most efficient way for our body to process.

Environmental Implications:

In order to raise cattle – you must have space, water and food.  Many forests are being cut down to accommodate cattle ranches not to mention the amount of water is required for beef.

• The production of one kilogram of beef requires 15 thousand litres of water (93% green, 4% blue, 3% grey water footprint). There is a huge variation around this global average. The precise footprint of a piece of beef depends on factors such as the type of production system and the composition and origin of the feed of the cow.
• The water footprint of a 150-gram soy burger produced in the Netherlands is about 160 litres. A beef burger from the same country costs about 1000 litres.

I will never understand how someone can take a living, breathing animal that has feelings and emotions and sentence it to a horrible and cruel death.  We become outraged when a child is removed from a parents home – imagine how a calf feels when they are removed from its mother shortly after its birth.  I think of all the chickens, cows and pigs that are raised just for human consumption and think:  What would happen if there were no more animals left to eat?  Would people turn to the flesh of humans to satisfy their hunger for meat?

Whenever I look into the eyes of my dog, Bradley, I am reminded that the lifestyle choice I made for not wanting to eat meat is one that came from respect and compassion for all animals and not just the ones we can domesticate.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

Sources

http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/home

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/549

 

 

MY CHOICE NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN

I have been asked by friends and family why Jason and I don’t adopt children.  We’ve been told that we would be great parents and that we have so much love to offer a child.  The issue for Jason and I having a child is not about how much love we have to give because between the both of us, there would be plenty.  Our concern is more about whether or not we are financially stable to ensure that (if we had a child) they would have everything they need.  Jason and I have discussed the possibility of a child – the discussion was short and both of us agreed that having a child didn’t make sense for us.

Recently – I made the following statement on my Facebook page:

What would happen if we taxed families for how many children they had?  I don’t have any so why are my taxes the same as those who do?  Thoughts? To elaborate – think about the environmental impact a family that consists of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 children – diapers, meat consumption (let’s get real, most people eat meat and that has a huge environmental impact), carbon footprint etc….much more than me, my partner and small dog.  Food for thought.

Let me just say that I am not anti-family or for people having children….I just want people to be more present in the choices that they make and what implications they may have on the planet as a whole.  Let’s be real – most people DO NOT think beyond what they can see.  How many of us really think about the amount of garbage that we are contributing to landfills everyday or what the environmental implications of meat consumption are?  Most of us don’t care about these things because we don’t see the outcome.  We don’t live in the slums of India or Brazil and are not faced with the poverty and starvation that so many millions face on a daily basis. 

What are people’s motives for having children today?  Is it because they can?  Do they feel morally obligated to do so or is it to continue their family name?  Whatever the reason – I don’t believe people are putting much thought into their decision to have a child.  How many times have you heard this:  “We didn’t mean to have a baby, it just happened”  or “He/she was an accident”………obviously not much thought was given about what could possible happen after having unprotected sex.

I am not complaining about paying taxes – I agree that our government should use our taxes to offer welfare or social services to those who are in need of them.  Now consider this – a family of six may require more space, produce more garbage, drive more, etc….while someone who chooses to be single doesn’t require as much – shouldn’t that single person deserve more of a tax-break due to the reduced carbon footprint?  We are living in a time when scientists are saying that we will require 7 more earth’s to accommodate humanity’s current dependency on fossil fuels and lifestyle, so why isn’t that message getting across?  Why wouldn’t people make more of a conscious effort in their decision to have children.  If our planet will not be able to accommodate us – where will all these people go?  I hear they are building colonies on the moon or even Mars – is that even a reality for families that can’t even pay to put food on the table?

My original Facebook statement wasn’t meant to upset anyone – it was meant to provoke thought and debate.  It was meant to make each of us look at ourselves and really think about the implications of the choices we make.  We have to stop being distracted by the promises of BIG CORPORATIONS.  We have to wake-up from the dreams the pharmaceutical companies promise and we have to take off the blinders to ensure we are present and are making the choices we want to make and not what the food, government and automobile industries tell us we should be making.  When we remove those distractions, maybe bringing a child into this harsh reality isn’t as easy to make as it was prior to all the distractions.

For more information about over population, please visit:  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/overpopulation/effect.html or http://www.naturalnews.com/039490_overpopulation_myth_ecological_footprint_population_collapse.html

To review the environmental implications of meat consumption, please visit:  http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/agriculture/beef/environmental_impacts/ or http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/publications/agriculture/2013/Ecological-Livestock.pdf

For more information on the current state of our environment, please visit:  http://350.org/ or http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

Knowledge is power!

Together, we can make the world a more positive one! 

 

LIGHT IN THE WAKE OF DARKNESS IN OKLAHOMA….

May God send miracles to those touched by the devastation of the May 20 tornado in Oklahoma……just when you think there is no hope, a miracle happens…..watch this awesome video:

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50147264n

I hope that the universe allows us to experience more stories and videos such as these in the wake of such tragedy…..

Here is a link of what you can do to help:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/20/us/iyw-how-to-help-moore/index.html

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

SOCIAL MEDIA – A MEANS FOR DISTRACTION or A TOOL TO SPARK CHANGE?

I am amazed at how so many people are afraid to face the realities of what is happening around them and how they don’t want to get involved in issues that inflict injustice on other people, animals and the environment.  I scan the Facebook pages of friends and acquaintances and am awestruck at the meaningless posts they want others to read.  Here are some examples (without mentioning names, of course):

• a friend liked a page dedicated to ‘hot guys in sweat pants’
• someone posted a link to pictures of ‘people of Wal-Mart’ obviously to ridicule their look and weirdness
• people bragging about how great their lives are (without being humble)
• people bragging at how great their make-up or haircuts look

I know…..why is it so wrong for people to post these things – they are only sharing these things for laughs or because they are proud.  Maybe it’s me – but I don’t enjoy poking fun at people anymore or telling everyone on Facebook that I love porn.  Maybe I am making too much of an assumption – I have posted pictures of concerts I have attended and of authors I have met.  Why do I feel that the posts most other people make are not as authentic?  Why should I care?  I don’t know what contributions these people make to social, political or environmental causes.  Here’s why I care…..

I know some of these people and I know their personalities and their habits…..when someone tells me they don’t recycle because their landlord doesn’t supply them with the resources to recycle, why should they bother?  They would rather surf the net for pictures of hot guys or follow the lives of porn stars than engage in a conversation with their landlord about setting up a recycling station in their building.  That’s the reality.

I have also engaged in pretty heated debates on Facebook because of what someone may have posted.  I stand behind everything I post – because I believe whatever I post 100%  I try not to judge the lifestyle’s of others but will stand up for what I believe in.  Many people have commented on many of my Facebook posts telling me “why do you post those, they are too violent”, “I don’t want to see that”, “Facebook isn’t for activism”.  I guess Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites are only for ‘hooking up’, porn, making fun/judging others or to post meaningless crap that continues to distract people from the realities and injustices BIG corporations, BIG oil and our governments are creating to ensure we don’t ‘remove our blinders’.

I may not be able to go to the Arctic to make a point that Shell/Exxon/BP or any other oil company should not be drilling there – but I can certainly post and blog about it to get the message out.  I may not be able to afford an electric vehicle right now but if I keep spreading the word to pressure our governments and the automobile industries, maybe I will one day.  I may not be blocking transport trucks from delivery animals to slaughter houses but I can surely share the horrors these animals go through and possibly making someone think twice before they purchase factor farmed animals.

I know and understand our need to be desensitized to social, political and environmental issues – life is difficult, but if we continue to leave our blinders on, imagine what the world would look like tomorrow?  Think about it for just one moment – if people didn’t advocate for the environment and sustainable energy, what would our environment look like today?  If people didn’t advocate for equality or human rights, what would our world look like today?  Imagine if we didn’t have PETA or individuals who actually care about the pain and suffering animals go through, what would our world look like today?

Social media is a powerful tool – with it, we can send messages across the globe instantaneously and start revolutions, we can ignite the spark and let the flames of positive change engulf the planet.  Are you ready?

Together, we can make the world a more positive one.

IS THE PLANET TAKING ITS LAST BREATH?

Let me tell you what I am not……I’m not a scientist, physicist, a climatologist, or an expert on environmental issues.  I like to weigh the pros and the cons of any situation and do enjoy a good debate.  In terms of the planet and our environment – there is no need for debate.  Scientists have been warning us that if humanity continues to rely on fossil fuels and dirty oil instead of thinking about sustainable energy, we would cause a shift in climate change that would have a devastating effect on our planet and humanity forever. 

I am 44 years old and I have always had a love for nature and our environment.  As a teenager, the extent of my environmental activism was wearing t-shirts about saving the planet and protecting our forests.  At that time (nearly 30 years ago) I didn’t understand the severity humanity’s actions would have on the planet – whose fault is that?  I don’t know.  Should I have taken more of an interest, should our government and politicians taken this issue more seriously, should we have relied on the educational system to put emphasis on environmental issues?  Scientists warned us over 25 years ago that our dependency on fossil fuels would have a devastating effect on our climate but the urgency of their message was ignored and now we are in a ‘do or die’ situation and we must get involved.

So many of us fear the knowledge of climate change and don’t want to disrupt their lives with this knowledge.  Many people think “what’s the point, there’s nothing I can do about it now”.  Thoughts like this are so dangerous because when we close ourselves off from the reality of what is happening – we close ourselves off to potentially finding the solutions to those same issues.  If and when we understand the severity of the problem and what the problem may cause in the very near future – shouldn’t that knowledge engage people to seek the solutions to those problems?  I understand life is very difficult enough and that we have our own personal problems….we think – “let’s rely on the experts to fix this”.  Well, experts need the support of the masses to challenge those who don’t believe there is an issue and only care about profit margins.

Here are some interesting statistics:

• NASA completed a study to find out how much carbon in the atmosphere is too much – they indicated 350 ppm (parts per million).  In 2012, readings of carbon in the atmosphere were 395 ppm
• Arctic ice shield has been reduced by more than 50%
• Oceans are 30% more acidic than they were over 30 years ago
• Fossil fuel industry is allowed to pollute our environment without financial repercussions  
• Top 5 oil companies (Exxon, Chevron, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips) had record profits in 2011 – over $130 billion dollars or $375 million dollars/day
• Top 5 oil companies received $6.6 million/day in federal tax breaks
• Top 5 oil companies spend $444,000 thousand dollars/day lobbying congress
• Rex Tillerson CEO, Exxon made $100,000/day

Here are some key issues from the WMO’s (World Meteorological Organization) 2012 Climate Statement summary:

• 2012 in the top 10 warmest years ever on record
• Above average temperatures were observed in most of the globe’s surface area
• Greenland ice sheet had the largest melt since satellite records began 34 years ago

What can we do?  Call your legislator’s and ask them to support sustainable energy.  Demand high performance/affordable electric cars.  Join a global movement and help them take the fight to parliament.  It is our obligation to do whatever we can to save our planet but we must act now.

Here are some great links to connect you to a global community of environmental activism:

DO THE MATH – YouTube video

http://350.org/

http://wwf.org/

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

A detailed version of The Statement on the Status of the Global Climate 2012 report summary and additional information about The World Meteorological Organization can be found at:  http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_972_en.html

If we all work collectively – we can ensure that this planet will never take its last breath.  We may not be able to stop climate change but we can make changes today that will be positive for our environment, animals and for humanity tomorrow.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

PROGRESS???

Minnesota representative, Peggy Scott, R-Andover, cried on the house floor in light of Minnesota approving same-sex marriage.  Here are her comments:

 

“My heart breaks for Minnesota, It’s a divisive issue that divides our state,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes as she stood on the House floor after the vote. “It’s not what we needed to be doing at this time. We want to come together for the state of Minnesota, we don’t want to divide it”

 

I find it ironic how she indicated that she didn’t want to divide the state of Minnesota yet, she is doing just that by not wanting to give all citizens of Minnesota equality and protection under the law.

 

 

Another appalling news story comes out of Russia were a 23-year old man was beaten to death after telling two acquaintances he was gay.  It’s no secret that Vladimir Putin is not a supporter of the LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual and transgendered) community and that in general, Russia is very conservative in terms of these types of social issues but when people are being killed for being gay – everyone has an obligation and duty to speak out.  Ignorance and hate does not constitute the right to murder someone.

 

In light of these events, I thought I would post inspiring stories of progress from allies of the LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual and transgendered) community:

 

Back to Minnesota…..St. Paul, Minnesota mayor – Chris Coleman renamed the Wabasha Bridge to Freedom To Marry Bridge.  Here is his tweet:

 

I renamedthe WabashaBridge 2 the Freedom to Marry Bridge for this week. Marriage equality here we come #Time4Marriage twitter.com/mayorcoleman/s…

— Chris Coleman (@mayorcoleman) May 13, 2013

 

CUBA

 

Mariela Castro is the director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education (Havana) and activist for LGBT rights in Cuban.  She is the daughter of current Cuban president Raul Castro and feminist and revolutionary Vilma Espin.  She is the niece of former president Fidel Castro.  She recently lead a march in Cuba against homophobia.  Here is the BBC report:

 

 

 

PARIS

 

Pop sensation – MIKA, will be headlining a free concert in Paris, France on May 21, 2013 to show his support for marriage equality and to stand against homophobia.  Here is Mika’s video for Celebrate:

 

 

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

MOTHER’S DAY – TRIBUTE VIDEO

This video is for all those mothers around the world who are thinking about the sons, daughter’s, brother’s, sister’s, husband’s and wives that they have lost in combat or because of war.  My heart goes out to you and to those you have lost.  PS – For any of you that have lost a mother – may her memories always warm your heart.

MOTHER’S PRIDE

Oh she knows
She takes his hand
And prays the child will understand
At the door they watch the men go by
In the clothes that daddy wore

Mother’s pride
Baby boy
His fathers eyes
He’s a soldier waiting for war
Time will come
He’ll hold a gun
His father’s son

And as he grows
He hears the band
Takes the step from boy to man
And at the shore she waves her son goodbye
Like the man she did before

Mother’s pride
Just a boy
His country’s eyes
He’s a soldier waving at the shore
And in her heart the time has come
To lose a son

And all the husbands, all the sons, all the lovers gone
They make no difference
No difference in the end
Still hear the woman say your daddy died a hero
In the name of God and name

Mother’s pride
Crazy boy
His lifeless eyes
He’s a soldier now forevermore
He’ll hold a gun ’till kingdom come

Thank you Mr. George Michael for writing and producing such a beautiful and emotionally charged song.  For more information about George Michael and to download his music please visit iTunes or George Michael’s website at:  http://www.georgemichael.com

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!