Representative John Yarmuth cosponsors H.R. 1397

I would like to applaud Rep. John Yarmuth, he and other fair minded folks who have joined Rep. Barney Frank as cosponsors of H.R. 1397, the Employment Non Discrimination Act.  This legislation will extend federal protections that are currently provided based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability, to sexual orientation and gender identity. Once again Representative Yarmuth has taken a stand for equality and what is right. 

I moved to Louisville in 1998 amid the drive for the passage of a fairness amendment.  I remember going to the then city council members lobbying for the ordinance.  The excitement, hope and belief that we could make a difference provided me with courage and passion.  Eventually the ordinance did pass, but it is not enough.  Discrimination still happens in Metro Louisville and people still loose jobs based on their orientation.  The Triangle Mirror is going to be doing an expose' on how fair is fairness and does this ordinance have any teeth in 2011. 

It has been stated that the LGBTI community is denied over ten thousands rights afforded to the heterosexual community.  From protection against violence to marriage to tax breaks.  How long will we continue to be silent?  How long will we rest in the illusion of a city ordinance that promises protection but is governed within?  (more about this in a later blog). 

•The Right to Work: In Louisville I know of cases where people have been fired, skipped over for promotions or simply not hired based solely on discrimination.  While we are fortunate to have a Fairness Ordinance on the books, it seems to me that sometimes it is simply a nice idea, a decorative piece of paper.  I have some major questions about this ordinance that I will be addressing in the coming months.  Heterosexual people never have to worry that they will be fired if they disclose their sexual orientation. There is no national law preventing this for LGBTI people. Heterosexual people are also not prohibited from holding any jobs because of their sexual orientation, such as military or many religious posts.

•The Right to Family: In 45 states, the benefits of marriage are afforded only to heterosexual couples. These include health coverage, child custody rights, medical access to a hospitalized spouse and inheritance and pension right in the case of a partner's death. Please spare me that "civil union" option, the courts have repeatedly stated that separate but equal is a farce.  It must be full legal right to marry without any caveats.  Keep your civil union, my husband and I will continue to live in sin until the state allows us equal rights.  In Louisville several churches have stood by the LGBTI community regarding marraige; Douglass Blvd Christian Church, Clifton Unitarian and Unity to name a few. 

•The Right to Live: For any of you who may have suffered bullying in school or at work, you know your basic quality of life can be completely flushed down the toilet.  Many LGBTI people have experienced hate crimes, often violent and sometimes lethal in nature. Just google hate crimes in Kentucky or Louisville or hell Google Hate Crimes in your neighborhood, it happens.  A lack of social support contributes to a high rate of suicides among LGBTI youth. LGBT people are not legally protected from discrimination in most places. An LGBTI person can be denied service in a restaurant or store and have no legal recourse. They may also be denied housing. In many states LGBTI people can even be jailed for engaging in consensual sex in the privacy of their own home.

When I contact Representative Yarmuth about this bill he provided the following statement for the Triangle Mirror readers:
"H.R. 1397 reflects a bedrock American principle that working men and women should be judged solely on the basis of their job performance. Specifically, this bill will prohibit public and private sector employers from making decisions about hiring, firing, promoting, or compensating an employee based on sexual orientation or gender identity. As a cosponsor of this measure, you may be assured that I will urge my colleagues to act on this measure to extend basic protections to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community."  Representive John Yarmuth

If you have been bullied at work or school, if you believe you have been discriminated against there are several groups that are here for you.  Primarily they are operated by volunteers or a skeletal paid staff, but they will work on your behalf, if they are unable to remedy your situation at the very least they will document your issue and use it for future action and the ongoing fight for equality.  I guess what I am saying it don't be ashamed, embarrassed or for god sakes don't let them silence you!!!  Speak out.  I am including the contact information for the Kentucky Equality Federation and Fairness.  I volunteer for the KEF and know many of the folks at Fairness. While different in the manner in which they operate and other nuances both of these groups are here for you, and that is all that matters to me. (period)

The Kentucky Equality Federation 877-KEF-5775

Fairness Campaign 502-893-0788

Finally lets remember that we are our brothers keeper, and we must stay focused on the common goal.  The goal is simple, Equality and Fairness. 

Please take a minute to call Rep. John Yarmuth at 502-582-5129 and thank him for co sponsoring HR 1397, tell him you read about it at the Triangle Mirror blog.  Currently the legislation is in committee and may take a while to hit the floor, let's keep it at the top of his priority list.  In fact I just called and spoke with a kind lady at that number.  The total time of the call was about one minute. 

The way I see it this isn’t a Gay/Straight issue, it is a Right/Wrong issue.  Take back your voice and be silent no longer!!!!  If you have questions about specifics regarding any information in this blog contact me and I will help you.  And as always this blog represents me and only me, it’s my thoughts and feelings.  I always welcome your comments.

Continued Bliss

Jeff Johnson

Triangle Mirror 

The Kentucky Equality Federation Terminates Alliance with the Libertarian Party of Kentucky

In a press release issued today it was noted that the Kentucky Equality Federations has terminated an alliance the the Libertarian Party of Kentucky.  Per the release there have been many years of cooperation with the party, however due to recent leadership changes it is the K.E.F view that the Libertarians have become more and more entrenched with the Tea Party contingent. 

As the Central Region Director of the Kentucky Equality Federation I applaud this move and see it as brave and proactive.  Over the past three months I have noticed the L.P of Kentucky becoming more and more aligned with Tea Party Cronies.  It is my personal opinion that this was inevitable, as this is the way the Tea Party works, so it was only a matter of time.  I believe the fair and education faction of the Libertarians will wake up as they see the manner in which the tea partiers will high jack their party and spread their propaganda and social issues based platforms.  I am proud of the Kentucky Equality Federation leadership as they quickly and decisively made the decision to terminate ties. 

Well done President Palmer and Chairman Jones!
Jeff Johnson 

Dial Yourself Down!

The Triangle Mirror is happy to welcome Wayne Cameron of Louisville to our list of honored columnist.  Wayne is a Registered Nurse, devoted partner and a real kick ass humanitarian.  I have known Wayne for years and have grown to appreciate his intellect and calm insight.  Over coffee a few weeks ago we began discussing the state of things and as I listened to his thoughts I was intrigued by his "take" on the current pulse of humanity.  Wayne has the admirable ability to express himself in a way that is both tender, yet piercingly accurate usually hitting the mark with very little collateral damage.  Sometimes we all need to "dial it down". 

Thank you Wayne for this reminder, and may you all have a week that delivers way more bliss than you expect!

****************************************************************************************

You see it more and more these days; people reacting to the frequency of the world turned too high. Angry drivers swerve dangerously along mildly busy thoroughfares – their mouths wide as they berate the inside of their glass and metal bubbles. Young ladies pacing parking lots with tears in their eyes, cell phones to their heads, rage fully screaming secrets to the top of their lungs to make their other half comply to the needs of their family. Something is askew and at some level we can all feel it... the subtle undertow of the feeling that we're just not on a good path. And it doesn't feel like it is one group or one force – it encompasses us all... We are all in sync as we walk blindly toward the edge...

Those of us who can feel these subtle changes, these signals... are more worried and frantic than the rest, but it feels, with every person you pass on the street, that every soul is reaching out. We all want comfort, acceptance, and peace – all of which can only be found with each other and only when we drop these barriers and walk into each other's light. My theory is that we all want change, Barak Obama's campaign tapped into this current of emotion back in 2008 – but one man, one political party, one country cannot bring the change needed to fulfill this desire, this void. It would have to be something cataclysmic, something that will shake us all to our core... strip away all this clutter, all these personal defense systems...

It is Christmas morning, and we all run down to find, nestled under the tree: 2012. Much like the year 2000, and any other day scrawled on the sandwich boards of homeless religious zealots worldwide; 2012 promises nothing, yet with all the hype, the mystery, which could surround any future date, builds – and infects our frantic minds with possibilities...

Most people know of the Mayan calendar and that its final date is 12.21.2012 and even with all the ancient cultures and psychic minds bearing down on this otherwise innocuous future date – promising mass destruction, flooding, famine, disease... the end... of the world – it doesn't seem to register that this could be the end... of our lives. It seems as though most people see this as the end of the “World” (the internet, the time clock, taxes, cable plans and unlimited calling) but not the moment in which the ground crumbles under us and we float off to implode quietly in outer space.

It feels as though there are those who sit and rock quietly in the pitch of night in eager anticipation of the day when mega farms stop and the cows again roam free, that god-damed phone that you stare at for hours a day ceases to entertain, the day when we stop worrying what the government is doing, stop pinning our hopes and dreams on the day we hit the lotto, the day we either lay down and die or the day we stand up – and instead of working for the Man – find out what we are made of... the day it all comes crumbling down. And in this new Utopia, devoid of overbearing technology, we will build the villages of yesteryear – where we all live side-by-side – where we connect to each other without barriers, face to face instead of facebook to facebook... these overactive gyroscopes inside us will dial down over time, we will truly feel alive and connected to the Earth again...

Who knows what will happen... theories are like rectums. But since we don't know what our future holds... let's pretend it is the End, the violent ripping of life from this planet. Let's start working toward finding the quiet within us, the peace.. and let's share that with each other, let's log in to facebook once a week and log in to face to face six days a week. Put on some gloves and grab that gyroscope and hold it... dial yourself down... and let's really “be the change we want to see in the world”.. it may be our last chance.

Author Betsy Otter Thomspon - Walking Through Illusion

A Review of

Betsy Otter Thompson

Walking Through Illusion

Jesus Speaks of the People who Shared His Journey

An Emotional Biography

RuPauls Drag Race is over….WHAT TO DO?  Get your spiritual read on thats what!

Well folks it looks as if Spring is here and the sun will indeed shine. The Triangle Mirror wishes each of you a wonderful, fun filled summer. As you are planning your summer reading list I would encourage you to give Walking Through Illusion a spot high on the list. To me the names used are infinitely less important than the message therein. If you are uncomfortable with the name Jesus, I would recommend inserting the deity of your choosing. This author is one to watch. You can tell I am having RuPaul end of season withdraws when the best way for me to describe her is ….Betsy Otter Thompson you are a fierce Bitch!

“WALKING THROUGH ILLUSION – Jesus speaks of the People who shared his Journey – features a series of stories about biblical people who either knew Jesus or knew of him, and were influenced by him in one way or another. It is not a book about Christianity; it is about people who lived long before Christianity began. The book makes no attempt to preach religion; the author believes that we don’t take our beliefs with us when we leave here; we take the love we found from having them”. In a nonjudgmental and caring manner the author addresses, through her interview, insights on issues relative to our daily lives. This book has claimed a position in my spiritual library next to the bible, Drawing Down the Moon, A course In Miracles and Psychic Self Defense. The author used what she describes as an “energy merge” to pen this book, it feels much like the Seth books from the 70’s, only a bit more easy to follow. 

When Walking Through Illusion found me, it sat on my reading table for about a month, then it moved with me as I would work, play or watch TV, I carried it with me for a couple of months. Then one evening I picked it up and began to read and did not stop until the end. Those of you who know me understand that my spiritual path is tumultuous and rocky yet consistent in its momentum and passion, a book about Jesus and Illusion?…..my first inclination was to send it packing faster than Venus De-lite! However for several months I had been thinking about the popularity and prominence of channeling during the 70's 80’s and 90’s, and what I perceive to be the lack of spiritual pioneers and envelope pushers of years past, enter Betsy Otter Thompson. She catapults channeling and spiritual pioneering into 2011 with a vengeance, can I get a big Shangela Laqifa Wadley Hallelu!

In a style akin to Marianne Williamson or Byron Katie, the choice of chapter layout is flawless and easy to read containing interview, worksheet and personal insights. The personal insights section at the end of each chapter pulls everything together as only a “spirit guided” individual can.  I found myself looking forward to the insights section, which seemed odd to me as I assumed the "meat" of the book would be found in the interview.  It was reassuring to read the authors views from a third party perspective.  Some of the chapters in the book include:

Obstacles: What obstacles stymie growth?
Advice: Whose Advice is Worthy?
Hatred: What does Hate Create?
Approval: Why is approval necessary?

In the chapter about Gifts: Jesus is interviewed about his experience with Bartholomew and explains What Qualifies as a Gift. When I completed this chapter I looked around the room at a flat screen TV, Two Laptops and many material possessions and thought, my love for my family, those who share my life and the ability to read and learn, these are gifts. I was reminded of Lesson 1 in A Course in Miracles, “Nothing in this Room Matters”. Betsy, by virtue of “energy merge” includes the common truth that Love, Family and the energy we leave behind, do indeed matter. One of the gifts RuPaul gave to me this season was the fashion forward stylings of Ms Raja and that sickening runway walk, You better work!...again not appropriate. 

Fairness: As a gay man this is an often uttered word in relation to Marriage, Job Discrimination and Bullying. Jesus discusses his experience with John the Baptist. I found much of the questioning unique and the turn of phrase so crisp. The interview section about Employee: John…Job Description: Baptizer to be a very cool twist on a well-known story. As I read this I thought about my own experience when I felt life was being less than fair. I also thought about poor Mimi Imfurst and how she was unfairly kicked off the race due to a tricky dance move she used to impress the judges…Can anyone yell, GET HER OFFA ME!...but I digress.



When I finished the book I was speechless, those of you who know me realize that is not often the case. Each chapter of Walking Through Illusion focuses on the growth of the individual with a common goal of the evolution of the species. Betsy Otter Thompson uses words much like an alchemist uses mundane ingredients to create gold. By this “energy merge”, she has carved into the group soul, information destined to become a building block for our collective spiritual DNA. As we hurl toward 2012 it behoves us all to broaden our spiritual understanding, this book should be required reading. 



I find great pleasure in the varied spiritual paths of my friends and associates, from conservative Christians, Witches, pagans, Jews and atheists (yes hate to break it to you but atheism is a path as well) the group is a cornucopia of belief systems and I believe all would benefit from reading this book. The book is available at Amazon.com, or ask your favorite bookseller.

Until Next Time remember, If you can’t Love yourself, then how in the hell are you going to love anyone else? Can I get an Amen up in here? Now Sashay Away!



For additional information about Betsy Otter Thomas visit her homepage at http://www.betsythompson.com/

One E-lister's own form of protest against Westboro Baptist Church

Hello All,

So rumor has it that the folks from WBC are going to be visiting our fair city.....SO.  I have held this strange fascination with this cult since 04.  It reminds me of the same urge one gets to look when they see an auto accident.  We are sorry that someone may have been hurt, yet we have to look.  That was my feeling as I watched the ever so entertaining, "God Hates the Little Children", sung by a feisty little 3 year old, then who can forget "WBC Gets Owned"!  YouTube has dozens of protest videos, propaganda videos and videos by folks who are trying to convince WBC that they are wrong.  Well, I would never waste my time, these people believe they are doing the will of God.  They have no idea that I exist, yet they would have me and my family disappear. 

I know these people, I know who they are and what they represent.  I look at them with the same puzzlement I look at the new Prada Pump or the Mullet and I say, "to each his own".  While I do believe there is a place for counter protest, I also believe that the less attention they receive, the less power they hold.  This being said I am organizing a Major Counter Protest!!!  More to come on this later.

 I do want to mention to my fellow LGBT community members to be very careful if you do choose to attend a protest.  Keep in mind that while the "old man Phelps" was disbarred in the 80's for, well lets just say, inappropriate conduct, the daughter, Shirley is still practicing law and they have a track record of bringing lawsuits against anyone who disagrees with them. 

Now back to my protest.  I believe they are set to be in town around supper time on Sunday, so in protest I will be.

• Either be ordering Chinese or Italian
• Working on next weeks Blog
• Giving either the cat or the dog a bath
• Visiting my mom
• Being thankful for my partner of 10 years

The point is, they have no power.  Anything they say or do is simply empty words or inane actions.  Do not misunderstand, I find what they do and the manner in which they do it obscene, but that is just my opinion. 

So my dear friends and community members, I ask that you join my protest, that you live your life in a way that brings peace and joy to others. 

Because that is who you are and what you do. "ye shall be known by they fruits"! 

Until next time!

Equally Responsible

Hello Friends,

This weeks Triangle Mirror guest columnist is Mr Darren Morgen.  I have known Darren for several years and I have found him to be funny, intelligent and very socially concious.  He practices what he preaches and stands boldy when he believes an injustice has taken place.  In addition to his local charity work, he is also currently the Louisville Coordinator for the Kentucky Equality Federation.

Mr Morgen speaks from his heart and shares some of his thoughts about what makes our community strong, and some things that threaten to weaken our community.  The Triangle Mirror is proud to present his viewpoint in our venue. 



Continued Bliss
Jeff Johnson

****************************************

Equally Responsible

In a community as small as ours, there is not room for classes. We want to be treated equal, yet we have difficulty treating our own community withequality. It is natural for people to segregate and classify, but we, being so small in numbers, need to fight to deny that urge. When we buy into this mentality, we segregate our own community, become less of a force and appear to be weak and disorganized. Simply said, “ A house divided cannot stand”.

Yes, we do come together for Pride, The Aids Walk, Pandora Productions, The Bozarts Ball, The Chocolate Party, EOY, Bluegrass Bowling, The Bell Cruise….ect, but how often do we truly stick together. These events are the celebrations and fundraisers to support the small freedoms we have obtained. Where are we when a couples house is robbed and desecrated, an individual is beat to death or an employee is fired for their GBLTQI status. Where are we when its time to stand in unity before our lawmakers. Where are we, period, when it comes to uniting as a community for Equal Rights?

We work hard, we pay our taxes, we serve our community, and, in return, we are handed back short of what is equal. It is time to get back to the core of the problem. We are not unified in our efforts and support for the movements to bring equality about. We often buy into letting smaller organizations do the leg work for the entire community, because we are secure in our personal worlds and we are not directly effected. Many of us throw money at these organizations and feel we have done our part, but when our faces and bodies are needed we aren’t there.



Solidarity is important when moving forward on a issue. I believe our community has become complacent with our struggle, and/or, the thought we are doing all we can do. I believe our hearts are not fully into the struggle for equality. I base this on the number of individuals that show up to rallies and protests. When we make a request to our lawmakers or the community why is it everyone is not standing hand in hand.



Imagine if the number of people who showed up to Pride, The Crystal Ball, or even the Connections on a Saturday night, were present at our State or Local Fairness Campaigns showing support for their actions. We have fallen asleep in the battle for equality. We are only putting half the effort into our request for equal protection. We place the responsibility in a few peoples hands and then complain when nothing is accomplished.

WAKE UP, the fight for Equality has only just begun. We are so far away, even though we can see a glimmer of hope. How much quicker and how much more convincing would we all be, if we truly supported one another and truly walked hand in hand. WAKE UP, Kentucky we are not fighting the good fight, we are letting a few do it for us.



Finally, I reiterate there is no room for class or personal segregation within our own community. People will always disappoint and fail you, but with true character, comes a continuous walk and support with them; until they are able to stand up on their own. The energy spent, casting out one another or small groups, is just as easily expended in supporting one another. We are too small to toss any one person or group to the side. I encourage the entire community to repair relationships that can be repaired, and to build bridges wherever possible to strengthen our foundation. May we come together in a strong spirit and march forward together for freedom.



Equally Responsible,
Darren R. Morgen