If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
Matt Carson's murder highlights the shortcomings of a rights-based, marriage-based approach to LGBT equality, and cries out for deeper, and more difficult, forms of engagement.
One of the defining characteristics of the LGBT community is our resilience and refusal to accept oppression. We're also known for our capacity, as a community, to put on a grand party when the situation demands it.
On this 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Children's Crusade it is a time to remember, honor, and follow the example of the children who were frontline soldiers and transforming catalysts in America's greatest moral movement of the 20th century.
The Every Child Deserves a Family Act is a federal bill to eliminate discrimination in foster care and adoption based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital status.
The bill -- passed by the Florida legislature and now awaiting the signature of Governor Rick Scott -- would expedite the death penalty process in the Sunshine state.
There is no way to make up for decades of discrimination that crippled the proud history of black farm ownership in this country. But we can do our best to move forward.
A few weeks ago I was invited to watch the taping of a video for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Seoul. More and more Koreans are stepping forward in support of LGBT rights, and over 100 Koreans (some gay, most straight) were involved in this production.
Ten years ago, I was a 20-year-old Marine who was about to cause a world of trouble by becoming the first person in the military to publicly speak out against the Iraq War.
Choosing between loyalty to country and consideration for fellow global citizens has all along been a false choice.
The right-wing is screaming at Eric Holder to investigate potential civil rights' violations by IRS officials. He should take them up on their entreaties, and raise the ante by investigating all the voter suppression and intimidation during the 2012 election.
CIW members hope that soon all tomato pickers throughout the country will have greater rights and wages, and then all agricultural workers, with the establishment of an industry-wide standard.
When illness strikes or a child is born or adopted, workers should not have to worry about losing a job or critical income. The LGBT community must join the call for paid leave laws and ensure that all workers have the support and time to recover from illness and care for their loved ones.
When I wrote the script for the sixth episode of "EastSiders" I knew that we might be inviting controversy. Many otherwise liberal friends and collaborators asked me if I was certain I wanted to take Constance Wu's character Kathy "in this direction."
Anti-choice activists are exploiting the Gosnell trial to push for laws that close abortion clinics and otherwise limit access to choice. But that is exactly the wrong reaction. The horrific conditions at Gosnell's clinic show just how important it is to have real reproductive choice.
It's simple: people work better together than alone. To believe that you can stand alone and navigate the world by yourself might be a liberating experience, but at the end of the day it usually adds up to a poor day at the races.
As we struggled to make sense of hundreds of statistics and research studies on recidivism, gun violence, homicide, suicide and juvenile justice, one clear, simple concept emerged: We know what to do. We just need the will to do it. Where does this will come from?
