10-Year-Old Daughter of Gay Dads writes to Obama and he Responds

About a month ago, maybe some weeks, a little girl named Sophia wrote President Obama a letter about her gay fathers

See here

 And guess what? President Obama responded

 Really nice of him to do this.

READ the Letter asking Obama to NOT appeal the DADT Ruling

69 members of the U.S. House of Representatives has asked Obama to not appeal the DADT ruling.

Read it here:
House Letter to Obama about the DADT Appeal Letter
via Metro Weekly

Want to End DADT? Write Your Congressman

Marches are fun, inspiring and moving, but at the end of the day the old fashion process is key.

We need to write our congress folks and get them to end DADT.

How to do that? Look here:

Your letter should address a single topic or issue. Typed, one-page letters are best. Many PACs (Political Action Committees) recommend a three-paragraph letter structured like this:

1. Say why you are writing and who you are. List your "credentials." (If you want a response, you must include your name and address, even when using email.)
2. Provide more detail. Be factual not emotional. Provide specific rather than general information about how the topic affects you and others. If a certain bill is involved, cite the correct title or number whenever possible.
3. Close by requesting the action you want taken: a vote for or against a bill, or change in general policy.

The best letters are courteous, to the point, and include specific supporting examples.

Addressing Members of Congress

To Your Senator:

The Honorable (full name)
(Room #) (Name) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator:

To Your Representative:

The Honorable (full name)
(Room #) (Name) House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative:

The above addresses should be used in email messages, as well as those sent through the Postal Service.

Finding Their Addresses
Senate and House of Representatives

U.S. Senators (web sites and mailing addresses)

Write Your U.S. Representative (A service of the House that will assist you by identifying your Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives and providing contact information.

U.S. Supreme Court
Contact Information - US Supreme Court
The Justices do not have email addresses, but they do read letters from citizens.

To Conclude
Here are some key things you should always and never do in writing to your elected representatives.

1. Be courteous and respectful without "gushing."
2. Clearly and simply state the purpose of your letter. If it's about a certain bill, identify it correctly. If you need help in finding the number of a bill, use the Thomas Legislative Information System.
3. Say who you are. Anonymous letters go nowhere. Even in email, include your correct name, address, phone number and email address. If you don't include at least your name and address, you will not get a response.
4. State any professional credentials or personal experience you may have, especially those pertaining to the subject of your letter.
5. Keep your letter short -- one page is best.
6. Use specific examples or evidence to support your position.
7. State what it is you want done or recommend a course of action.
8. Thank the member for taking the time to read your letter.

Never

1. Use vulgarity, profanity, or threats. The first two are just plain rude and the third one can get you a visit from the Secret Service. Simply stated, don't let your passion get in the way of making your point,
2. Fail to include your name and address, even in email letters.
3. Demand a response.

Identifying Legislation

Cite these legislation identifiers when writing to members of Congress:

House Bills: "H.R._____"
House Resolutions: "H.RES._____"
House Joint Resolutions: "H.J.RES._____"
Senate Bills: "S._____"
Senate Resolutions: "S.RES._____"
Senate Joint Resolutions: "S.J.RES._____"

I'm not trying to mean, I'm serious. This is how we can get the ball rolling.

That easy, That simple

source

A day late and 5 dollars short, Cleve

This past week, Cleve send a letter to Obama about attending the National Equality March.

I applaud his efforts, but isn't too late to send invitations?

Obama has been invited to some golfing thing every president goes to. In fact, it was one of the few early events put on his calender. So in someways, this was known way ahead of time, as well as congress being OUT that weekend, but that's another issue for another time.

Plus, I think there could be some heat from comparing this March and the Civil Rights March of '63. Many folks don't take that comparison too kindly. So I wonder if that was wise to state the issue in this letter, when we have not completely hashed out the similarities and differences.

Also, the letter talks about marching for "full and equal protections for LGBT people in all matters governed by a civil law in the 50 states". Okay, spell that out.

What are these protections? Of course, the answers are simple, but when you are writing to the President, would you make sure that everything was spelled out. If I had a chance to ask the President to do something for me, I wouldn't say "give me full and complete happiness for a lifetime". No honey, I would spell that mess it out in bullet points and highlight every major word. Obama would know what I wanted in abundance.

Now, I not trying to knock this event. I do this to anything that seems "put awkwardly together". However, I hope everyone who is going to NEM, gets something out of it. I really hope this event jumpstarts something in the LGBT community.

But I wouldn't hold my breath about Obama showing up.

State Sen. Paul Koering needs to Fire his aide

Lordy Lord this man needs a drink. Koering's Aide or his legislative assistant, Ken Swecker must've been rejected or got some jizz in his eye to send this letter to concerned citizens.

Check it out

"My name is Ken Swecker, Senator Koering's Legislative Assistant. Senator Koering and I both would like to respond to the e-mails we've been receiving regarding his intention to not vote in favor of Senate File 120. I am currently responding to the e-mails to give you the Senator's home phone number so that you might call him over the weekend and speak with him personally on the matter. This much he asked me to do.

To add to that, as a personal statement, is to say that SF 120 is something that the majority of the People of Senate District 12, the People that he was elected to represent, do not favor this piece of legislation. In case you have forgotten, we are a government of the People, by the People, and for the People. He was not elected serve his personal interests. I personally believe that instead of sending e-mails full of threats and hateful words you should take his example to heart and congratulate him on being a legislator who cares more about what the People of his district want than what he may want personally. You and I both know that this is a rare quality to find, and just because this is contrary to how you wish for him to vote, you must remember and respect he is here to represent the interests of his rural Minnesota constituents who voted him into office. As a constituent of his myself, I am happy to see him take non-personal votes on several issues. After all, I would not want another politician taking another vote that would serve his or her personal interests more so than the People's, would you?

I can testify all day long about how much Senator Koering cares for the People of Senate District 12. He ran three consecutive times, being defeated the first two, and why did he put himself through so much hard work? Do you think it was because he needed another job? Absolutely not! He did it because he believed he was the best person to serve the People that he calls neighbors, friends, and family. And especially now, in a time like this, we are being bogged down with this completely pointless issue. There are People in Morrison and Crow Wing Counties, and across the State who are losing their jobs, their homes, their insurance, and were you to ask them if this is an issue that should take one second of precedent over these conditions they're facing every day, do you believe, do you honestly believe that they would say to you, 'Yes, please, waste the time of the State Legislature with a piece of legislation that will not help, but in fact, overshadow the current situation we're living in? Please, waste their time with this piece of legislation while I tell my son and daughter that mom and dad aren't hungry tonight?'

I know very well that you will respond to this e-mail of mine with some probably quirky, snide, and very thoughtless comment that will make me out to be a bad person and threaten the Senator even more just as most of the absolutely tactless and disrespectful e-mails we've received have been written, but really, don't waste your time. We'll just put your e-mail where it belongs, in the trash.

The Senator's home number is 218-829-0544
He's free on the weekends.

Very Sincerely, every word of it,

Ken Swecker

P.S. I hope you do not believe that this e-mail was written specific to the one that you sent, this is a blanket e-mail, being sent to everyone who has e-mailed us on this issue and I've already wasted too much time in responding to you. Good day.

Senator Paul Koering
District 12
131 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155-1206
Phone:651-296-4875"

Somebody lay hands on this poor man or give him a new job

Keep on Walking, Eddie Walker!

Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker is a world class idiot!

When his school allowed a Gay/Straight Alliance group to exist, he felt that it threatened his values and said he will resign by the end of the school year.

However, he has a change of heart. The interim superintendent Herbert Berg got a letter from the cretin this week “indicating his desire to remain at Irmo High School.” In his first letter, Walker stated his dislike for the Gay/Straight Alliance group. He believed the club would be somewhat sexual in nature and felt that he couldn’t support a school that conflicted with the idea of an abstinence-based education.

Smart one, Eddie. But you forget, public schools are about education not religious beliefs or your silly values. But I’m curious about the change of heart. Queerty thinks the lack of jobs are steering him back, but I wonder if there’s a bigger issue.

If something happens like a hate crime, and a student dies, Walker’s actions could definitely be brought into play. His actions could send a message that under his leadership, they failed to deal with the needs of the students. Walker needs to know that it’s not about him, it’s about the students and if they want to be progressive, staff should support and not judge. This can define him as a bigot, which may hurt him if he wants to run for office someday. Also he may not want to be “that guy” in the midst of Obama-nation. With diversity making a comeback in this country, I'm sure he doesn’t want to be the figure of foolishness.

But still, I think the damage is done; Walker revealed his true colors. If the board review his status they should let him go. Under his guidance, that school is doomed. They need someone who thinks of the students’ needs and the real idea of education. So Walker, be a man and get out of the way.