Mickey (my husband) and I just finished watching the new documentary, “In the Shadow of the Temple.” We expected it to be difficult for me, but as it turned out it was Mickey who ended up with the tears in his eyes.

To hear others repeat almost word-for-word what he has heard me saying for almost three years now was tough for him. Most difficult was when he heard the one lady say that she had struggled too hard to heal from the wounds of the temple in her own life to go and wait outside for her daughter to be married in the temple. Mickey had not fully understood why I would not go out to be at Peter’s wedding in San Diego in August, although he fully supported my decision as mine alone to make.

The documentary is hard-hitting because it opens with the “absolute” doctrine of the Mormon Church…where if any shred of it is false, then by extension, the whole church is an enormous fraud. I taught that on my mission, and it truly sets the Mormons apart from other religions.

I guess that is why Christian fundamentalists in general, and the Mormons specifically, have to spend their last dollar and last breath fighting gay marriage.

It is the equivalent of somebody threatening the mathematical universe with the notion that 1 + 1 no longer equals 2.

In a talk on Sunday morning at the anti-heterosexism conference in West Palm Beach it was Rev. Deborah Johnson who explained this so well. She said if we fully understood the impact that it would have on them to be forced to admit that there is no such thing as absolute male and absolute female, then we would be more sympathetic with these religious extremists. It truly will be the end of their universe.

Can you just take a moment and imagine how hard it will be for them when their house of cards comes crashing down? At the end of the day, some of the fundamentalists may survive, but it will be the end of Mormonism. When you bet the farm on a crap shoot, you had better be able to consistently throw 7’s and 11’s.

This is what male and female currently look like to the religious fundamentalists. In their world, if anything happens to this model then it is the end of their religion. For whatever reason, if you eat steak on Friday or don’t get a circumcision, their world remains intact, but if you allow a man to fall in love with a man then 1 + 1 no longer equals 2. Never mind that it only ever happens to less than 4% of the human race and there will always be a source of babies from the other 96%.

So, what happens if instead, sexuality is on a continuum where that .01% of our DNA that makes a male different from a female is not absolute, and if while the fetus is in utero that some variables can affect the outcomes?

Well, if you are a progressive religion, nothing happens. God has allowed for mankind to have an expanding knowledge, but the fundamentalists didn’t get that memo.

They truly have staked their entire existence on an absolute of the Bible being the only word of God, the last word of God, and in the case of the Mormons, even their version of heaven cannot exist if it is possible for a homosexual to exist.

Oh well, homosexuals were here long before the Mormons, and we will still be here when Mormons are no longer relevant.

Two days before the Nov 21st, 2009 NARTH Protest the students from Lynn University and Florida Atlantic University gathered to make a bunch of hand-lettered posters.

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime® 6.5 or higher is required.

A San Antonio man was murdered in front of a local bar after he allegedly made a sexual advance toward another man. Enrique Santos, 22, has confessed to the murder of 50 year old, Jorge Sgetelmeg, stating that a fight broke out after Sgetelmeg purchased some beer for Santos. According to Santos’ confession and affidavit, Sgetelmeg and he were sharing the beer in his SUV. Sgetelmeg made a sexual advance at Santos and Santos punched him several times in the face before removing a rock from his pocket and hitting him several more times – then chocking the man with a neck tie.

No related posts.

Breaking News (Nov 10th, 2009): “The [LDS] church supports these [equal housing and employment] ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage,” Michael Otterson, the director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.

As the youngest of six kids, my five siblings were a bit shocked when I came “out” in 2005 after a 24 year marriage with four grown kids. When I told them that in my relationship with Mickey (my current husband who I met in April 2007) I have found in 2 1/2 years what I could have never had with my wife, they were confused, but willing to “go along.”

When I asked my siblings if, when we visited, Mickey and I would enjoy the same welcome that my ex-wife and I had, they hesitated. What I meant by the question was, could Mickey and I stay in the guest bedroom with the queen-sized bed. They slowly and reluctantly agreed. It was a major victory for my personal family unity within the Mormon Church. This was truly progress on their part.

That was May 2008, and on June 28th the Mormon Church destroyed my family with the famous “Letter from the Pulpit.” That letter ordered every Mormon to contribute of their “time and means” to pass Prop 8. When I asked my siblings in July 2008 how they were going to vote on Prop 8, I had my real answer from my family. To a one, they all said they had no choice. The prophet had spoken. They had to vote against me and support a law that would marginalize me.

The only “violent act” against relationships (marriage) has been done by the Mormon Church.

I have a friend.

A kindred spirit.

A brother in arms.

He speaks fluent Arabic.

He loves his country, my country, The United States of America.

He may love his country, my country, even more than I do. He volunteered to join the Armed Forces and put himself in harms way in Iraq because he felt it was his duty to defend his country.

This was after an exemplary career at West Point.

He was in a unit that was violently attacked on his first day in Iraq.

He kept moving forward with his eye on protecting our country and yours and my freedom. He moved forward and up in the ranks.

My friend, Lt. Dan Choi is a very honorable and honest man.

His honesty became his undoing.

You see, my friend, Lt. Dan Choi, doesn’t believe in lying. It’s not the thing an honorable man does. Especially not one who has pledged to honor his country and his commitment to the United States Armed Forces.

So, Lt. Dan Choi, my friend, told the truth.

He is Gay.

I won’t bog YOU down in the details of what his life has been like since the moment that he stood up and said he would no longer lie about who he is, you can google his name for that drama. I will, however, say that he did a thing so right and so brave that I don’t know if I could have done the same.

Could you?

Lt. Dan Choi is no longer in the Armed Forces due to the policy of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”.

An Arabic linguist and true American Hero, an honorable man who won’t lie, is not a member of the Armed Forces of the United States of American because he told the truth.

Isn’t the truth what EVERY child is told to tell from the time they figure out how to lie?

Why should my friend, Lt. Dan Choi have to lie to serve his country?

I went to the Veterans Day parade today.

I was so proud of how many youth were there all spiffy in their fancy uniforms. The bands were playing and they all were smiling and laughing. I wondered if they understood that they were committing themselves to a career of telling the truth.

I also wondered how many of them would grow up to be liars in order to continue forward in their chosen career.

I have to say something to the folks who don’t believe that Gays should be allowed to serve in the Military.

My friend, Lt. Dan Choi, is an Arabic linguist.

Ponder this:

You can waterboard a terrorist all you want.

But.

You can’t make him speak English.

Happy Veterans Day.

Please send Senator Harry Reid a letter asking him to lead the way on ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Learn more about “DADT” at the following links:

http://knightsout.org/

http://www.ltdanchoi.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_ask,_don%27t_tell

http://www.freep.com/article/20091111/NEWS15/911110324/1001/news/Doctors-Repeal-dont-ask-dont-tell

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/06/dont_ask_dont_tell.html

http://www.bing.com/reference/semhtml/Don%27t_ask%2C_don%27t_tell?qpvt=dont+ask+dont+tell&src=abop&q=dont+ask+dont+tell&fwd=1

By Jay Fermin,
Fil-Am Director Diana Lee Inosanto had a very important message that need to be expressed strongly in today’s postmodern world when we caught up with her. She was at the red-carpet opening of the 24th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival that ran May 1-8, 2008 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA). The message has faced a lot of challenges and took two years to complete. D. Lee Inosanto, daughter of martial artist Dan Inosanto (taking the namesake of her honorary uncle, the legendary Bruce Lee) is herself a martial arts practitioner together with her husband.The message was her directorial debut film “The Sensei” which premiered at the Film fest and what Education Director (Matthew Shepard Foundation) Thomas Howard Jr. has labeled, A film that will change hearts and minds and save lives. D.Lee Inosanto confides that she was compelled to make the film years ago after the senseless murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming in 1998. Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later, he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. D.Lee’s message about hate-crime, tolerance and diversity found further relevance today with the recent murder of 15 year-old Lawrence King who was shot in Oxnard, California because he was gay.

The movie is totally different‚ from Bruce Lee’s movies which I grew up with where evil is always defeated. It jabs harder than “Karate Kid” as the plot weaves its way from a lonely gay teen named McClain being bullied and delivers kick and punches to the social and sociological structures that struggle to stereotype human conduct and are relentless in punishing those that stray from the pre-conceived mold of society.

Set in a small conservative town in Colorado during the HIV-Aids panic of the late 1980’s, young McClain Evans (Michael O’Laskey) is a gay teen who was constantly harassed and bullied. Karen Nakano-O’Neil (played by D. Lee Inosanto) was denied the highly respected “Black Belt” from the family’s successful martial arts business because she was a woman. After 5 years of absence, she returns home after the death of her fiance, boxer Mark Corey (Louis Mandylor) to make amends with her Asian-American family, who‚ are also very involved in the local church. When three teens badly beat up McClain sending him near death to the hospital, McClain’s mom secretly asked Karen to train McClain at night so he can defend himself.

“The Sensei” movie is not as comfortable to watch as other martial arts film. And it never pretends to be. The movie examines the intricate and complicated preconceptions that result in prejudices that allow hatred towards others. The plot hinges on Karen’s uncle, a Sensei in martial arts – a teacher who refuses to bestow the deserved Black Belt to Karen because she is a woman.

However, the discipline of being a sensei requires traits not only of skills in martial arts but of fairness, leadership, honor, and the ability to do the best for others. One of the pivotal moments was when Karen with her Christian background in the depths of hate and darkness went to see a Buddhist priest who reminded her that all of us are teachers and students, always teaching as well as learning. All of us can be sensei.

D.Lee Inosanto who directed, co-produced (together with producers Tarik Heitmann & Ron Balicki), and starred in “The Sensei” brilliantly brings a very difficult message on the wide screen thru the venue of martial arts. Having been endorsed by civil rights groups like the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the current Hate Crimes Bill lead by Senators Ted Kennedy and Gordon Smith, and having been contacted by Human Rights Campaign, Simon Wiesenthal Center: Museum of Tolerance, and Rainbow Alley, indeed “The Sensei” has awakened Hollywood and the world to The Right to Protect Yourself from Hatred.

Cinematographer Mark Ruthledge has brought the flashback to 1980 and the high paced fight scenes its proper setting, while keeping the intensity of the complex human interaction as close shot as possible lending a personal empathy to the characters; I could hear a number of muffled tears from the audience during premiere night. Brilliantly told, the story of “The Sensei” touched more hearts towards the end when the most common hatred of all was uncovered self hatred – which usually lead to other forms of hatred to others.

I am proud of D.Lee Inosanto’s work of heart: “The Sensei” and do highly recommend viewers to watch the film. For all of its 95 minutes running time, and its fast paced scene development and dramatic flashbacks, it will surely touch and change not only your mind but most importantly your heart.

reprinted from an original article by Jay Fermin

Diana Lee Inosanto will be a guest on this weeks’ “Miller & Washington” 8-10pm Wednesday November 11 2009 www.vegasallnetradio.com

http://blog.thesenseimovie.com/

On this weeks “Miller & Washington”:

Legendary author, playwright & gender theorist, Kate Bornstein.

Co-Chair of the National Equality March, Kip Williams.

From the National Stonewall Democrats, Jenna Lowenstein

Out Hip Hop Records, Camilo Arenivar

And the Queen of The Las Vegas Strip, Debbie Hall with all of the latest goings on in the city that never sleeps!

8-10pm (pst) www.vegasallnetradio.com

On Saturday, November 8, 2009, Christopher and I jumped in my car and began the long drive to Austin, Texas. We had seen on facebook that nearly 200 people had confirmed to attend a marriage equality rally in Austin, Texas to show solidarity with the election in Maine. We had hoped for a large turnout; however, upon arriving at the rally point, only about 20 people were standing around the small stage, still furiously attempting to make their signs for the impromptu rally.

Related posts:

1. LGBT HERO | Frank Voci: White Knot Marches for Equality
2. Photos from the National Equality March

iQreport will be bringing the Austin, Texas Marriage Equality Rally (organized by Join the Impact – Austin) to you via pictures, video and text. The rally, spawned from the discriminatory “people’s veto” in Maine, begins at 1:00 p.m. Central Time on November 7, 2009 at Austin City Hall (at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Lavaca). Don’t forget to set a reminder and join us for this important solidarity event.

iQreporter: Jay Morris of jaysays.com