Three Takes on the Same Story

A South Carolina man has been charged with having sex with a horse -- for the second time.

Joe. My. God. says: "It's a crazy world, people."

Cincinnati Blog says: "In a new low, the Enquirer chose this story to pick up from the AP Wire. I guess they have a large equine readership down in the Bluegrass state that would be interested."

The owner, Barbara Kinley, via the Huffington Post, says: "Everyone around here has horses," Kenley said. "And they all said the same thing. You should have shot him."

I say: I have officially added "bestiality" to the list of tags on my blog. Win?

On Mark Sanford

I didn't know the Governor of South Carolina was missing until yesterday morning when we were at the Subway, drinking at 9am, and we were joking that he probably was just off carousing with a lover somewhere. Excepting that we were joking that it would be a male lover... we were dead on.

For those who haven't followed, Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina went missing, saying that he had to hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Wrong -- the married Governor was, actually, in Argentina with his paramour. On tax payer dollars. My dad's thoughts on the subject: how did he think he was going to get away with it? Well, how does anyone, really?

I voted for Gov. Sanford in 2004 because I liked him. There's been a lot of talk about how the arch-conservative southern governor has been shamed and how great is it for our side that he's gonna be out the door. Seriously, though, I voted for him. Not because he was a great guy, and certainly not because he was on my side. It's an idiosynchricity of southerners that we vote for the guy who's best for the state... the guy we trust... and I did. Sanford was quiet and unassuming, had a level head, seemed pretty smart, and had the right experience to make him a decent governor. He had the light southern drawl and the firm handshake and just a little bit of gumption to challenge the state legislature, at the time gutting the state budget for pork and pet projects.

To protest, once, he walked into the statehouse with two squealing pigs under his arms. It was very Huckabee-esque, the move, except there was no Huckabee then, and it was just something near awesome that Sanford had done.

So I voted for Sanford because he was good for South Carolina. In a lot of ways, I'm disappointed with him, severely and awfully disappointed with him because I believed he was genuine. I believed that he truly believed in this mantra of family values and morality that he campaigned on. Sure, they weren't in agreement with my values, necessarily, but there's something to knowing that the guy leading you actually believes in what he's saying rather than just saying it to get elected. And, in coming out with this awfulness, I am disappointed because I believed in Gov. Sanford. More importantly, I'm disappointed in a way with our (read: us liberal bloggers) quick judgment and death knell pounding of the "big evil southern governor." He wasn't evil, he wasn't a bad man, he was a good governor (though I'm sure someone will prove me wrong), and I think he was probably a decent man.

But we overlook the goodness in him in our rush to tell everyone he's lost every political aspiration he's ever had. And we overlook the fact that he does represent his state, and a lot of people in that state probably feel the same way as I do... disappointed.

The State newspaper today ran emails that allegedly are between Gov. Sanford and the woman, Maria, and I almost feel sorry for the man. The affair confused him, and it scared him. He knew what he was doing. I wonder what his wife thinks of the whole thing, reading those emails.

Sanford, quiet and unassuming governor of South Carolina, is now sad and alone.

Picture from The Washington Post.

Linda Ketner Apologizes

A few days ago, I suppose I caused a little stir in the world, giving my bloggie middle finger to Linda Ketner for outing supportive SC politicians. I call it a little stir because assembloge, a blog on Q-Notes in the Carolinas, reported on it calling it "Harsh." Perhaps it was, but I stood by my opinion (though the Charleston City Paper doesn't think it was true outing at all, but I have to question how a public figure talking about the sexual orientation of rumored homosexuals isn't, at least, an attempt at outing?). 

Anywho, Ketner felt a little bit of the fire and apologized:

I’ve always been resolute about never outing anyone, believing strongly that every person gets to decide when or if he or she comes out.

I let myself and others down in a recent off-the-record chat with a reporter. I obviously don’t have knowledge of the sexual orientation of any individuals mentioned. What I do have is respect and appreciation for their service to this state.

My sincerest apologies to any of you rightfully upset with me.

I think it's a good apology. And so, for now (and for the first time?), I retract my middle finger to Ms. Ketner. 

SC's Linda Ketner Outs Politicians

Once upon a time, I volunteered for the South Carolina Equality Coalition (SCEC). I was a legislative observer, waiting for something... anything... to be mentioned in the SC Legislature to be mentioned of the impending Defense of Marriage Act. I never really saw anything, but it was cool to learn about the process.

While I was there, I learned a lot, like how to block a bill from going through. That is, get a supportive Congressperson to complain about how someone put this crazy, unrelated amendment onto another bill, and is that really how we want to run government?

And, thus, in 2004, we stopped the Defense of Marriage Act from getting voted on in South Carolina.

Years later (well, in 2008), I found out one of the members of SCEC was running for Congress in SC as an open lesbian and ended up doing pretty well against a staunch incumbent conservative. I was proud! Linda Ketner, the former Dem. candidate, showed that it was possible that a Southerner could possibly be elected to public office as openly LGBT.

A few days ago, though, she let a bombshell drop in a FireDogLake interview where she outed several SC politicians. This is the quote:

We have more gay people serving in South Carolina than probably in anyplace in the United States; they're just not out of the closet. We have an awful lot of people in the closet-- Lindsey Graham, Glenn McConnell who's our Senate president pro tem, our Lt Governor... I obviously lost the conservative, religious crazy vote, but I would have anyway because I'm pro-choice... It got more national attention than it did local attention; it was no secret to anybody around here.

Now, it's one thing to out Lindsey Graham -- in fact, it wouldn't be a surprise. He's no friend to the LGBT community. But do you want to know who our supportive ally in Congress was who stood up and railed against attaching unrelated amendments to bills? Glenn McConnell. He actually made a great point, as the bill it was attached to had other spending and taxing bits attached which were unnecessary, so he could have as easily been talking about those amendments.

But, word was, he wasn't. He was helping us out.

Now, I don't know if Graham, McConnell, or anyone else is really gay. It was always just rumor and speculation, but I am sure of one thing: if you can out Graham, that's fine. Ethically, I think you're clear on that one. But McConnell, even if he is, has been a supporter in the past.

And so, it is with great reluctance, Ms. Ketner, that I have to give you the finger. You fail, today, where once you were a WIN.

Later, Ketner would say in the comments that "By the way, in Howie’s intro, he quoted me as saying several members of state and U.S. government were gay. I don’t know that for sure having never been intimate with any of them. Those are the rumors." Right, but you still don't get to come out publically like that and then pretend like it never happened. I think you still just lost a lot of credibility, and maybe one or two supporters.

Update: Apparently I'm really harsh in this particular post, as Matt Comer at the assembloge points out. Meh. I stand by my statements, however, and apologize for the mistakes in grammar and details (you're right, Glenn McConnell is not in Congress.. but he is in the legislature). Anyways, always weird to see me cross linked back somewhere else... especially to a blog around home. I'm not, after all, just yelling into the ether known as the interweb.

(SC) The Finger to State Rep. Delleney

A bill introduced to the South Carolina Legislature would require training school personnell and students about how to identify the signs of an abusive relationship after a 2007 state survey showed that almost 14% of students reported being "hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by their boyfriend or girlfriend” in the previous 12 months. Though generally popular, Rep. Greg Delleney (R-Chester) didn't like the bill for one reason:

[He] offered up an amendment on the House floor to require that only heterosexual relationships be discussed in the training.

"I don't want the Department of Education or school districts to teach children in grades sixth through twelfth about (same sex) relationships," said Delleney.

Read: absue is very bad in relationships, but only if you're straight. We can allow the gay kids to beat each other as much as they like... after all, it's not our job to teach about them. Just like, in Texas, it's ok if they get bullied and kill themselves. Saves the haters the trouble of forming a lynch mob.

Mr. Delleney, you get the finger today.

Out of Charleston...

Thanks to United We Stand (which I really need to pay better attention to), I got heads up on this bit out of the Charleston City Paper (my home towns version of CityBeat): When I woke up this morning and decided to be gay.

Um, can I change my order, please? I choose eggs with a side of civil rights.

Maybe all of this choice stuff comes from the choice to come out. And that, I'll give you, is a conscious choice.

But it's not a choice about liking girls better than boys. Or being a Carolina fan as opposed to a Clemson fan. It's a choice to tell the truth about who you love and who you are, to live honestly, openly, and authentically and continue evolving into the best you possible.

How about this frightening choice? A Kentucky Senate committee has unanimously chosen to approve a bill that would prohibit unmarried couples from adopting children or being foster parents. If you're keeping track, that doesn't just affect the GLBT community, it affects unmarried straight couples too. Meaning, even Angelina and Brad couldn't adopt in Kentucky if this hateful little bill passes.

Most of my GLBT friends have, out of sheer necessity, delved into law, financial planning, and HIPAA regulations in an attempt to protect themselves, their partners, and families. If you're GLBT or a GLBT supporter in this generation, you better be ready to study, make phone calls, write letters, and march.

If I sound frustrated, I am. The California Supreme Court is pondering Proposition 8, so I'm feeling a bit edgy. On the other hand, I have people who care enough about my rights and life to study, make phone calls, write letters, and march.

And when my alarm sounds, I will sit up, swing my legs over the side of the bed in the early morning light, take a deep breath, and say, "Universe, I'm SALLY ALBRIGHT, and I choose me." (It's more invigorating than coffee.)

OK, OK, in the full argument, she relies on some pretty "typical" arguments about choosing to be gay or not... but, seriously, that's pretty advanced for the deep south. Seriously.

I still remember the day my BFF told me she wasn't able to stand my lifestyle anymore because, though she was very liberal, she just couldn't stomach the abomination.

And, seriously, she was a liberal.

And I'm addicted to the word "seriously." Seriously. Oh but note the picture above. That is what the paper decided to put next to the column. Seriously? 

First Openly Gay Elected Official -- in SC

There are so many bizarre things to talk about in this story:

Guest blogger Nick Shalosky is Secretary of the South Carolina Stonewall Democrats. He is the first openly-gay elected official in South Carolina. At the age of 21, Shalosky was elected with 22 votes to the Charleston County District 20 Constituent School Board with a write-in campaign primarily organized through Facebook. He is a junior at the College of Charleston.

WOW. An openly gay elected official in my homestate and in my hometown. You know, there was an open lesbian running in that same district for the US House that lost by very little. I will say this: AFFA and the SCEC are great organizations, though a little out of touch with the rest of the world (when I offered to help with future organizing, they said "no, we can do it on our own"). I think this is kind of a major blow to them because they, no doubt, did not realize this was happening. But that is besides the point...

WOW. An unnamed, no-party candidate got elected to public office. Now, there was no one he was running against, and it only took 22 votes for him to be boosted into office, but that's still huge. Of course, the problem is that, now he's getting all of this attention, no doubt someone is going to want to take him down next go-round. Never underestimate the power of the fundamentalists. I wonder if he'll survive the next roung. But that is besides the point...

WOW. A 21-year-old used social media to get elected to public office! Not that there was much competition, and he was just a write-in candidate, and, really, 22 votes was all he could muster? I have 700+ friends on Facebook, I think I could scrounge up a few more than that. But that's besides the point...

WOW. Wait, so what is the point?

The point is this: Mr. Shalosky, congratulations. You have officially become my new hero, doing something that no one else has and breaking ground. It's unbelievable and wonderful. Thank you.

I just hope my snarkiness and bitchiness are wrong, and you serve the county well (I was a product of that school system, so, yea...), and you become successful.

Because, as we all know, no one listens to me on these sort of things.

Still, CONGRATULATIONS! :-) In a state where "first openly gay student body president" made front page news, this is no small feat.

GAY STUFF: No rest for Sean Kennedy

Many thanks to the Kentucky Equality Federation blog for the heads up on this one. . .

Why do I feel like there are so much bad LGBT news coming out of my home state these days?

Stephen Andrew Moller pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on June 11 in connection with the death of Sean Kennedy last year. The 20-year-old defendant, a native of Taylors, S.C., will serve just three years for the slaying.

Moller attacked Kennedy outside the bar formerly named Brews on May 16, 2007. He punched Kennedy in the face and knocked him to the ground. The victim, 20 years old at the time, fell backward and hit his head on the curb, sustaining a fatal brain injury.

(from Q-notes News -- now blogrolled)

Moller's lawyers say that there is no evidence to prove that the killer knew Kennedy was gay (and, thus, not a hate crime), despite these to disturbing quotes...

By Moller's get-away driver:

“You know that dude is gay. What are you going to do if you have AIDS now?”

Left by Moller on the phone of Kennedy's friend:

“Hey, I was just wondering how your boyfriend’s feeling right about now [laughter]. The fucking faggot … Yeah boy, your boy is knocked out, man. The motherfucker. Tell him he owes me $500 for breaking my goddamn hand on his teeth, that fucking bitch.”

Both were entered into court records and played for the court.

You're right, this was clearly not a hate based crime.

More importantly, why wasn't this all over the news. Did anyone else hear about this???

GAY STUFF: South Carolina is NOT gay

Someone totally blogdicked my comments section, but I'm glad they did and brought me this fabulous comment cartoon (From Words and Pictures)

GAY STUFF: South Carolina is SO gay

Thanks to my dad for the email on this one!!!

Follow up to one of the bits from this blog about the "South Carolina is SO gay" ad that was pulled by the state tourism board... (Original story here at MSNBC)

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A gay pride organization said Thursday it plans to raise $5,000 to pay for an advertising campaign that proclaimed "South Carolina is so gay" after the state refused to pick up the tab.

SC Pride Movement president Ryan Wilson said his group wants to restore the state's good name after the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department refused to pay. The state was one of a half-dozen highlighted in the London-based ad campaign aimed at gay travelers.

Joel Sawyer, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, said tax dollars should not be used for ads "that promote any group with a particular social or political agenda."

From the media release from SC Pride, and their official statement:

"Someone needs to rise above and do the right thing, and the GLBT community of
South Carolina should be the ones to do it, and the SC Pride Movement is going
to take the lead." Wilson continues, "South Carolina may not be "so gay"
currently but we are going to show the world that we can be and we WILL BE so
gay, and gay friendly some day!"

Make sure you donate to them to support the money they are putting out to have this ad published!!!!

(What's really funny is that you'll notice that the City of Columbia -- the capital of SC -- is a sponsor of SCPride 2008)

GAY STUFF: Queer Blog Review

Going through the blogs, here's what's being chatted about...

THIS ONE IS UPCOMING AND IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW, much thanks to the Service Member's Legal Defense Network for putting it out there: On July 23, the House Armed Services Committee will hold the first hearing on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" since 1993. (GayNewsBlog)

Elizabeth Dole makes a sick attempt at renaming a bill regarding HIV/AIDS relief to third world countries after Jesse Helms (Joe.My.God., Bilerico, Towlerod, Trevor Hoppe), who may or may not have once done drag once in front of a video camera -- where's the freaking video??? (Queerty, Pam's House Blend -- both have video of the call into the Michelangelo Signorile show!) This is, of course, after Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) tried to roadblock the vote. (GayPolitics.com)

HIV Travel Ban is repealed -- YEA!!!! Now, HIV Positive folks may travel into the country. (Joe.My.God., Towlerod)

Kent Snyder, Ron Paul's openly gay campaign manager, dies and leaves a $400,000 medical bill due to lack of insurance coverage. Thanks, Ron Paul, the least you could have done was care for the people who work for you. To help raise money for the family to relieve them of the debt, please visit their website. (Joe.My.God., Bilerico, GayNewsBlog)

Casper van Dien is naked in Starship Troopers 3 -- like Queerty, I didn't realize there were sequels -- but the pictures are nice and NSFW. (Queerty)



This one has been circulating for a while: the state of South Carolina is really, really, really pissed after a print advertisement purporting that "South Carolina is so gay" to increase the LGBT tourism there was approved. The image is below and from the link. (Queerty, LGBTTravelNews, Trevor Hoppe)




The CA Supreme Court ruled that Prop 8 -- the anti-gay marriage initiative, AGAIN -- will remain on the ballot in November, again asking the voters to decide pro- or anti-gay marriage. Let's hope it's worded right and it's a simple yes or no, as opposed to the convoluted bullshit we had to go through a few years ago. (Bilerico, Towlerod, Pam's House Blend)

The 2010 census will not count gay married couples, even if they are legal in the home state due to the 1996 (?) Federal Defense of Marriage Act (GayPolitics.com, Trevor Hoppe). Assholes. This is one of those things that you look back and go, "Wait, I thought the Clinton's liked the gays?"

Adamantly anti-gay Alabama Attorney General (hell, yea, assonance) was kicked out of his house after his wife found him in bed with a male staffer. Poor man, looks like he won't be running for governor, nor is he welcome on John McCain's leadership committee anymore. Funny what happens when you're a hypocritical dick. (GayNewsBlog) Meanwhile, Catholic school principles are getting caught in gay threesomes in empty buildings. Geez, people, find a better place to fuck around! (GayNewsBlog, FoxNews, MediaWizz)

John McCain sticks his foot in his mouth about gay adoption and then tries to pull it out. Is he for it or against it? I guess we'll never know! But, with Charlie Crist (GAYGAYGAY) a possible VEEP candidate, and the state of Florida explicitly banning gay people from adopting, I doubt he'll come and say "Gay people can be good parents, too." (Family Equality Blog, GayNewsBlog and GayNewsBlog)

Massachusetts Senate approved a bill to repeal the 1913 law that says that you cannot be married in the state if your marriage is not legal in your home state. The bill was originally created after MASS was the first state to allow miscegenation -- interracial marriage -- but now is being used to block gay couples from marrying there. (GayNewsBlog, Huffington Post, Trevor Hoppe, Pam's House Blend)

WHEW!!! It's been a really gay week!!!!

RELIGION: I mean, Jesus... SC and Professions of Faith

Caught this (faith-based license plates like above were stopped in Florida, but now SC is taking it up) on CNN this evening. Favorite is the comment from Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer:

If I were never to get elected or serve in another capacity because I pronounce my faith as a Christian, I don't have a problem with that.

Yea, it takes a lot of balls to come out as Christian in the deep south. Well done, Mr. Bauer.

GAY STUFF: South Carolina News

I feel like I'm reminiscing this morning.

Thanks to the Bilerico project (ha, I'm reading it right now, can you tell) for letting us know about this. I am from Charleston, an hour and a half south east of Columbia, SC, and Irmo High School was one of our biggest competitions in everything as we (Wando High School) were one of the few of that size. It's a personal affront this AM.

More importantly, I proposed a GSA in my high school, which I've talked about before, and, though no one quit over it, it never happened. That still makes me sad.

I wonder what would have been the outcome if I had stayed on.

From the Family Equality Council Blog (now blogrolled, btw), via the AP story (no longer available):

Irmo High School principal Eddie Walker confirmed Wednesday he is stepping down at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Walker said he gave his reasons in a letter sent to teachers and others and he refused to talk about the issue further. In a copy of the letter obtained by WIS-TV in Columbia, Walker said allowing the Gay-Straight Alliance club on campus would conflict with his professional beliefs and religious convictions because there are no other clubs on campus based on sexual preference or activity and the school teaches abstinence-based sex education.”

Walker wrote: “I feel the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club at Irmo High school implies that students joining the club will have chosen to or will choose to engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, opposite sex, or members of both sexes."

Whoa. Just. Whoa.

Please don't forget to support the two SC organizations that I was involved with -- the South Carolina Equality Coalition (statewide) and the Alliance for Full Acceptance (Charleston) -- who are fighting a very difficult uphill battle for equality in my home state.

OHIO/CINNKY: Go back to Ohio

Casually passed the 100 blog mark without note.

This is a fun site... I went the other direction. I moved from Charleston, SC to Cincinnati, OH. Fun stuff. They actually provided me a map home. Thanks, guy.

GoBacktoOhio.com


Southern Hospitality at its best.

PS. Created a new "SUPERLABEL" -- OHIO/CINNKY... am going back through and editing some of the other stuff. It will include general stuff about the region that does not fall under other categories.