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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
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You confuse me, Pat. US politics per se is amusing, but not wholly relevant to LGBT issues. So I dont; quite see, except that I assume he is right wing so homophobic, why I need to read the article. Perhaps you would help me out here?
You see, I care passionately about LGBT issues and the intersection of those with mainstream politics globally, but I don't see quite how this fits in
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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JimB
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Likes it here |
Registered: December 2006
Messages: 349
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The relevance here, Timmy, is that these people are against nearly everything that you believe in, especially LGBT issues. But certainly not limited to LGBT issues. They want to tell you what to think, how to live, who to associate with, what religion to partake in and how embrace that religion. They are as anti-homosexual as you can get and want that same attitude to be supported and advanced by the US government. It is through their political efforts, which this article was about, that they hope to achieve this.
Since you are not a US citizen I can understand why this article didn't strike close to home, but for us here in the US the continuing efforts of the conservative Christians to force their ideals upon us is very relevant.
Thank you for sharing this article, Pat. I found it both interesting and alarming.
JimB
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
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They may be, but I am wary of this forum turning into a forum of rants against the right, or against the left, or against the centre. I do not want it to become a link farm, either.
A rant in the right place is fine!
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Timmy, the forum has already turned into a place for rants. We no longer have the discussions and reasoned arguments we used to have, Have you noticed? The people who led and continued those discussions are largely silent these days. They say they are too busy, but if you want something done, ask a busy person.
The board has become a medium for campaigning. However worthy the cause, a number of us are not by nature campaigners. It's your board. By all means campaign, but don't be surprised if you don't carry some of us with you.
I had enough of campaigns when I was at university and I have watched while two of those campaigns have led to the impoverishment and social destruction of two countries while the leading light, whom I knew personally, sits smugly on the government front bench and does nothing except wait for his seat in the House of Lords in the dissolution honours.
One regular poster said to me privately that he would prefer to read a hundred posts from Donny (Eldon) than one campaign post.
If the board has turned into a 'link farm' it is because we need to refer to discussion points and you have said that 'copy and paste' may infringe copyright, while links don't.
I want these remarks to be helpful, not viewed as an attack or a lack of appreciation for what goes on here to help people.
Hugs
Nigel
I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.
…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.
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Who is Donny (Eldon) and did he leave because of what you are talking about?
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OMG he was so funny! I did the search for "Eldon" and some of the stuff he wrote was so funny. Who was Whitewaterkid? Looks like he is gone too.
I read that stuff Eldon wrote about slavery and I do not agree with all of it but he really did say it like it is.
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Aussie
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Really getting into it |
Registered: August 2006
Messages: 475
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Cabinboy
Eldon, Curtis and Whitewaterkid (and other) were the young ones who used to keep this forum alive with their young exuberance and amazing knowledge
They left for reasons probably only known to themselves.
We now look to you to enlighten us all with your wit and enthusiasm.
I can assure you that your posts will be most welcome.
The forum has become a bit stodgy of late.
It would be very interesting to know how you stumbled upon the forum
Aussie (looking forward to hear more from you)
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yusime
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Likes it here |
Location: United States
Registered: April 2008
Messages: 195
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I'll make it simple the Religious Right as we currently know it would be far more dangerous if they start "complaining" about "big government". The purpose of progressive politics in the United States is good government not big government. Ralph Reed is a supporter of "Christian Family Ideals" or a code name for an anti-gay radical social policy diretive through governmental power. Because a major part of the ideals of his politics is to wage eternal everlasting war against any precevied enemy of "Christian Idealism" both figurative and literal wars he is at least an idol of the Religious Right. If the Radical Right should gain more control of the "Tea Partiers" than it has now they could become an even greater threat than they were during the Bush presidency especially now. Fear is a great way to motivate people to promote varying forms of hate and terrible social policy. More important for a global purpose the United States can become a force for the destruction of humanity if the current radicals on the right do regain power. I don't believe anyone should want absolute power that is far too dangerous for a political party, nation or orginization of people to hold.
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake since for him a spinal cord would suffice. Albert Einstein
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Aussie wrote:
Eldon, Curtis and Whitewaterkid (and other) were the young ones who used to keep this forum alive with their young exuberance and amazing knowledge They left for reasons probably only known to themselves.
The reasons why Donny and Jon (Whitewaterkid) left the forum are known to me. Jon was most articulate about this. They were both fed up with what seemed to them to be the constant 'whining of old geezers about the sex life that they missed in years gone by.' "They should go get a life!" Obviously, the forum was not fulfilling their needs. Perhaps there is a lesson for us there. Certainly, neither of them now has need for any such forum at this stage in their lives.
I haven't been in touch with Jon and Donny now for a couple of months. But we have been in fairly regular correspondence and I was able to be a useful mentor to them both during some great emotional difficulties they had.
Since people here are obviously concerned, let me assure you that both of them are now happy (and that may be an understatement). They are each studying hard and successfully in their respective universities. Jon has found the love of his life, is deliriously happy with his partner and they are planning their future together after university. They have been accepted by both families.
Donny went through some great turmoil but is now exclusively gay and has too found someone to love and be loved by.
Don't bother to write to either of them at their erstwhile addresses because they will not respond. Please don't ask me for more information because I will respect their privacy above almost all other considerations that concern this forum.
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13800
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Silence is a great way for ensuring that your voice is not heard.
Keeping silent is the way to ensure that all of the board changes to the things that are not liked instead of some of it.
It's not "my board" except that I happen to fund it. It is the board for everyone who chooses to use it. And the users create the character. Silent users allow the character to change to that created by the 'vocal' users.
You will see from JFR why the lads you speak of left. The part that met their needs had done its job, and they disliked the other part. No reason to stay once the job had been done, no reason to post.
The overall theme of this board is to do with LGBT issues. Within that there are other things to discuss. Outside that there are other things to discuss. But, just as we do not discuss the virtues or otherwise of the UK political parties in great detail, and will not discuss, I hope, the forthcoming UK election except in passing, I am not particularly interested in things that have no direct LGBT relevance when it comes to politics.
The awful and disgusting name calling on Capitol Hill yesterday has a direct relevance. When a US Congressman is called a Faggot, that is directly relevant. It shows an underlying attitude in an accurate manner. But news about politics pure and simple is not.
And no, you may not be a campaigner. But you can see the difference between a campaign for LGBT rights and a pure party political campaign. You can see, I am sure, that the Kill The Gays Bill in Uganda is extraordinary and foul, and relevant. If this law is passed then you will be unable to travel to Uganda in safety. You can see that campaigns for equality and human rights for LGBT folk are important. After all, you have those rights, but your US friends do not.
In the UK and elsewhere, you have rights because your colleagues protested, campaigned, and had small victories. Here this started in the 1950s and eventually led in 1967 to the legalisation of homosexual acts. Every small act of campaign or of protest that you make, every letter that you might write to an elected representative has an effect for the future. Similarly every silence has its own more subtle effect. And here, in the UK, it doesn't even cost a postage stamp to use services that email your MP and your MEPs immediately. You don't even need to know their email addresses.
It's fine to be grateful for the rights that you have today as a gay man. It's fine to be quietly thankful that you have those rights because far sighted men and women triumphed over petty bigotry. But how much finer to do something, however small, for the future generations of gay kids, of gay men and women, and to be able to say "I had a very small part in influencing that change"?
To campaign for human rights one does not have to be out of the closet, even. One simply campaigns as an intellectual and makes intellectual points. Some elected representatives are too self absorbed to understand intellectual points as we all know. I choose to expose that, you may choose to have a wry chuckle at their lack of intelligence in private.
I think you know very well what I mean by 'link farm'. I have no interest in seeing every post be a link for this party or that party. But I have an interest in links to external articles that have a direct relevance to LGBT issues. Like it or not, so far as I can tell most of the contributors to and readers of this forum are gay, and this means that they are likely, but not certain, to have an interest in LGBT matters on the global stage. But I want to know why I should read a link before following it. I want to know why it is relevant to me.
And the other conversations on this board that are now absent?
They are absent because people choose to keep silent. That shows that any changes of character are precisely what they wish to happen. And it is like that threat of "If he is allowed to post here then I will go" that I have heard in the past, and loudly. And that threat was always a pointless one.
So, within my self imposed rules I post what I wish. And when I see something that seems to step over those unwritten rules I ask questions. Pure party politics has no place here, but LGBT issues, and yes LGBT politics, they have a place. And if they take the forum over that is the fault of those who do not post other things.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Donny and his friend whose name escapes me for the moment would give us the benefit of their fun, humour and the events in their lives. They were couple of American guys in their late teens. One was a farmer's son the other a doctor's son. They left school and their lives moved on. They left quite amicably, but we still miss them.
Hugs
Nigel
I dream of boys with big bulges in their trousers,
Never of girls with big bulges in their blouses.
…and look forward to meeting you in Cóito.
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That is the most welcome post I've read this year JFR. Hearing that Donny and Jon are happy is **really** good news.
Love,
Anthony
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ray2x
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Really getting into it |
Location: USA
Registered: April 2009
Messages: 430
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1. I agree with Pat. Maybe a post here and there about the wings of politics would be encouraged. What happens in Santa Clarita, CA affects what happens in Manchester or Christchurch or Sydney.
2. The brief history of this site was truly nice to read. I do find myself in the old farts camp though and do feel sheepish about it. But oh well...
3. Can't keep up with the posts anyways. I seem to be a day late. Where do others get the time to read and post?
Raymundo
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