In his speech last night to shore up his falling poll numbers George W. Bush continued the Republican Reich's lies about Iraq and and 9/11. Iraq has NOTHING to do with 9/11, and the illegal invasion of Iraq was NOT a legitimate response to the terrorist attack on 9/11.

Following the recent comments by that fascist pig Karl Rove accusing liberals of supporting terrorists and claming conservatives responded to 9/11 by going to war (with the wrong people!), it is clear that the Republican Riech will be using 9/11 over and over again to silence opposition and dissent in the United States against the Bush war crimes.

Unfortunately, the so-called Democrats have offered little opposition other than to critique Bush for not sending MORE troops....

What the Democrats should be doing is using the 2006 election as a referendum on Bush's war crimes and lies, and begin calling for impeachment hearings. Bush is guilty of far more serious crimes than Nixon (Watergate), Reagan (Iran/Contra) or Clinton (lying about a blowjob).

Join the campaign to Impeach Bush!
http://www.impeachbush.org

While Democrats joined with Republicans and the media to attack Howard Dean and Dick Durbin, Republicans support Karl Rove, and the Bush administration defends his vicious atttacks on liberal Democrats. If he were a Democrat, Rove would have been forced to resign or get fired! Karl Rove and the Republican Right are using the tragedy of 9/11, which they are partly responsible for, to divide the country. The fear of terrorism has replaced the Red Scare and communism as the Right-Wing's weapon to attack liberals.

Bravo to Queer Action Coalition, a newly formed Memphis gay activist group, for taking on the "ex-gay" cult "Love In Action." QAC has been organizing protests outside "Refuge", where parents take their gay kids for brainwashing. The protests began to support a 16 year old who came out to his parents who then sent him to Love In Action against his will. Shame on his parents!

Love in Action is religious cult that promotes homophobia. It is part of a larger network of "ex-gay" groups that are used by right-wing political organizations to fight gay and lesbian civil rights. I debated LIA's Exec. Dir. John Smid on Mike Fleming's radio program back in 1997. When we first meet he set off my gaydar big time. I believe he is a repressed homosexual because of his fundamentalist religious beliefs. He is a religious fanatic! According to former participants I've read or talked to, LIA works much like a cult, and there program basically tried to brainwash people using religion and the Bible to indoctrinate them. It is a cult.

For more informatôn on Queer Action Coalition, visit their blog:
http://www.fightinghomophobia.blogspot.com

This is "gay pride" month and many cities, including Memphis, will hold their annual "pride" parades and festivals. I'm all for celebrating pride in being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendere, but I have mixed feelings about the commercial aspects of "Gay Pride" overshadowing the politics of the gay movement and the current struggles for LGBT civil rights and equality.

June was chosen to celebrate Gay Pride around the anniversay of the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969. It was one of several important events that galvanized a the movement for gay rights in the United States.

Lots of money is raised for gay pride events, but should we be raising money to party or to fight for our civil rights? More money is spent on gay pride parades, festivals, and alcohol than on supporting organizations fighting for LGBT civil rights!

If you really want to celebrate Pride and the spirit of Stonewall, donate to and join some of the groups fighting for our civil rights. I recommend the following:
Tennessee Equality Project (www.tnep.org)
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (www.ngltf.org)
Human Rights Campaign (www.hrc.org)
Stonewall Democrats (www.stonewalldemocrats.org)
Memphis Stonewall Democrats (www.memphisstonewalldemocrats.org)

While it is OK for Republicans and conservaitve talk radio to viciously attack Democrats and liberals, it is NOT acceptable for progressive/liberals to attack conservative Republicans.

Howard Dean is under attack not only from the mainstream/conservative media and Republicans, but even from so-called Democratic leaders simply for telling the truth about Republicans!

Responding to GOP claims to be the Party of God and conservative attacks on the religious values of liberal Democrats, Dean stated that liberal Democrats were actualy more "Christian" than conservative Republicans, IF you follow the teachings of Christ (i.e., the very liberal Sermon on the Mount!) Dean was attacked!

Responding to the Republican claims to represent the "working class," Dean pointed out that a LOT (not all!) of Republicans never worked for an honest living! He was right, a lot of them have not. Rush Limbaugh, for example, certainly does not represent the "working class." Dean was ATTACKED! His statement was manipulated to say that working class voters who voted Republican not not work for a living. He didn't say that!

Joseph Biden and John Edwards said this weekend on news programs that they did not agree with Dean and that he (the party chair!) does not speak for Democrats! spinless wimps!

Air America radio is even being attacked for for being too "mean" and "negative" for attacking George W. Bush and Right Wing Fascists! (Rush Limbaugh,however, can call Femnists "Femi-Nazis!; Ann Coutler can call Democrats and liberals Traitors! ,etc.)

When will this double standard end! When will the Democratic Party "leaders" get in line with the Democratic base which Dean represents and inspires and FIGHT back!

Rep. Harold Ford Jr. announced his candidacy for the Tennessee Senate in 2006, and was attacked by the GOP for being "pro-gay marriage." This after Ford voted FOR the anti-gay Federal Marriage Amendment last year! Of course, Ford Jr. plannned on this kind of attack, which is why he switched his position and voted for the amendment. The Ford campaign responded to recent GOP attacks by touting his CONSERVATIVE votes against gay marriage and abortion, and his pro-military spending record! Ford Jr. is running as a REPUBLICAN!

Not sure which is more shameful, the GOP attacks or Ford's cowardly anti-liberal campaign in response. I don't see much of a difference between Ford and Frist, their voting records are not that different!