June 26

Today they were one... the twins that is. One year olds. Hard to believe. We've had them at least once a week (usually more plus over nights) for a year. What started out as a "favor" to take the little ones off the parent's hands... and by that I mean the mommy...has turned into an act of love we look forward to every moment they are not here. We love those babies so much now it's scary.

Anyway, they have stayed with us the last two nights. Their birthday breakfast were the typical finger foods...pancakes and scrambled eggs. Mid-morning we brought out the birthday cupcakes. She very carefully and daintily touched the icing and ate it off her finger. HE, well let's just say he enjoyed every single crumb. Not much went inside... after they went straight to the tub, then I had to wash cake out of the tub! Their Mom picked them up noonish and took them to visit all the local relatives before coming back here for a quick nap and out again for birthday dinner. Then to "Uncle Joe's" for cake. They had a wonderful day... as did we.


Mommy will pick them up after breakfast tomorrow. Our hearts will ache a little. It will be a month before I see them again. Thursday I leave for a month in Salt Lake City... more about that another time. Lovely memories of the day for us.

Happy Birthday babies xoxo

Take Action against Hate Crimes

When you've been fighting discrimination for as long as I have, you develop a fairly thick skin. But I'll admit, the first time I saw this video, I got chills. It was produced for Cyndi Lauper's True Colors tour benefiting HRC, and it's now showing at concerts across the country.

Please watch the video, and share it with everyone you know.

This stirring video has the power to motivate THOUSANDS MORE people to take action for the Matthew Shepard Act.

And that's exactly what we need to do. As I write this, angry radical right-wing leaders are using scare tactics to fire up their base against the Matthew Shepard Act. They're saying it could "send pastors to prison for simply reading a part of the Bible." It's absurd.

Even worse: despite our House victory, we're hearing from Senate staffers that opponents of the Matthew Shepard Act are still beating us five to one in emails, calls, and letters.

Five to one. With the vote approaching and many senators still undecided, we simply cannot allow this to continue. So I'm asking you to turn that ratio around.

Watch the video - and share it with at least FIVE friends.

The vast majority of Americans support the Matthew Shepard Act. There are, quite simply, more of us. But our senators are hearing from more of them.

If every one of us tells five friends to watch the video and take action, we'll make sure they get the message: hate will not win.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President

HEAL!!!!!

Today I received the following email. Sometimes I just can't believe people really say this stuff! ...

America's top doctor?

Or America's top anti-gay spokesperson?

Tell your Senators to vote NO on Bush's nominee for Surgeon General.

Dear Connie,

Which of these warnings comes from the U.S. Surgeon General?

A. "Smoking causes lung cancer."
B. "Women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy."
C. "Gay activity is unnatural and unhealthy."

If President Bush has his way, ALL OF THE ABOVE might soon be the answer. His recent nomination of Dr. James Holsinger as America's top doctor flies in the face of science, medicine - and our nation's health.

Send a message to your Senators today, telling them to vote NO on Holsinger's nomination.

How can we trust Holsinger to be America's top doctor, when his resume looks like this:
In 1991 used basic plumbing analogies to write a "scientific and medical" paper arguing that homosexuality is unnatural and dangerous.
Founded the Hope Springs Community Church, which reportedly has a special program to "cure" gays from "that lifestyle."
Past writings indicate that he views sexual orientation as a "lifestyle choice." This could not be further from the view held by mainstream medical or scientific organizations.
James Holsinger's record seems to demonstrate that he is uninterested in the best scientific information available; instead, he allows his anti-gay bias to inform his medical judgments. What will he do if he's given the title of Surgeon General?

Help protect GLBT health by writing your Senators today.

Countless organizations have already voiced their outrage at Holsinger's nomination. Help turn it into a national outcry, by taking action today – and when you're done, PLEASE forward this message on to friends and family.

The Surgeon General is charged with protecting America's health. That doesn't mean some Americans, or not those Americans. It means all Americans.

Thank you.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President

June 6, 1968

Thirty nine years ago today I graduated from high school.

For years Paul Newman posters had covered my walls...then suddenly there was a Democratic Presidential candidate sharing the space. For the first time in my life I was genuinely excited about an election. No longer parroting my parents beliefs. I got it. Someone I truly believed in. I knew what was important. He would end the war. Bring Peace to the nation. A champion of equality. Racism would end. Hope for me and the country. Things were changing and this was the right way to go.

In junior high we had air raid drills. Hiding under the auditorium stage, flanked by 55 gallon drums full of Korean War surplus. Could we really live on those old crackers and rations if the Russians decided to drop the bomb? Could I run the two miles home before it hit? Scary times. They thought the kids didn't get it. That ad of the cute little blond in the daisy field right before the mushroom cloud. It could happen. Were my parents prepared? No one I knew had a bomb shelter. Why?


But salvation was near... then, the Ambassador Hotel... shots... not again.
Crushed, I went on with the day that was suppose to mean freedom. But my heart was broken. How could we celebrate? Who knows what kind of president he might have been? In my mind he was the only hope we had... and now it was gone.

I sat down and wrote to Ethel. All those children to grow up without a father. I wrote how I admired him and wanted so for him to be our president... even-though I could not vote. She sent me a very nice note.... maybe an aid had written it but back then I was sure she'd written it herself, maybe she did. Weeks later I received a big envelope full of campaign posters, buttons and bumper stickers.
A few weeks later I was in Chicago for Art School. My parents dropped me off the week of the most infamous Democratic convention of modern time.

So today is the anniversary of that day. It makes me wonder what might have been.

SCOOT over Paris

"Libby Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison
Bush Feels 'Terrible,' but No Word on Pardon"

...2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for lying and obstructing the CIA leak investigation.

etc.,etc.,etc.