Opening The Closet...for Homophobes

In case you've been literally living in a closet over the past 7 hours, you've no doubt heard by now that the world of American male professional team sports has had its Gay cherry finally broken with the coming out of NBA player Jason Collins of the Washington Wizards.

In an op-ed for Sports Illustrated's website (to appear in the May 6th print edition), Collins pens a first-person account of his journey of self-discovery.  An account which begins with the simple declaration, "I'm a 34 year old NBA center.  I'm Black.  And I'm Gay."

Boston Bombing: Aren't You Glad It Wasn't YOU?

Watch this (best to start at 6:24)...



At 6:24 in this video the uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers, suspected of bombing the Boston Marathon, pleads with his nephews to turn themselves in.  He expresses that they have shamed not only their family, but all Chechneyans, and he asks for them to beg forgiveness from the Bostonians they've harmed.  Earlier in the video the uncle gave a strident testament of his love of America and everything this country has done for his family.  I believe his sincerity, and I empathize with the situation he is in.  I also find it interesting that he felt he needed to put himself out there like this, particularly given the risk from some of the less evolved among us.

Ok, Righties, Let's Talk About Kermit Gosnell

Lately I've noticed Pro-Life groups up and down the conservative social and broadcast media lamenting on the lack of mainstream coverage about this guy Kermit Gosnell.  Of course, if you live in Philadelphia (like me), you've probably noticed no such lack as it has been covered to death in our local media ever since his crimes came to life (see here), and will likely be covered to death once he goes to trial.  But the pro-lifers (and their tin-foil hat colleagues) have already begun their cries of "liberal media cover-up" and believe that the story has been purposely burried.  My question to these folks is this.  Are you really sure you want to have this conversation?  Yes?  Ok, then lets have it.

Bullets vs. Ballots - Some Food for Thought

As you've probably read by now, the Manchin-Toomey amendment on background checks was defeated in the Senate by fillibuster.  The vote was 54-46 for the amendment, but because you need 60 votes to break a fillibuster the amendment never made it to the floor of the Senate.  Four Democrats - Max Bacus (MT), Mark Pryor (AR), Heidi Heitkamp (ND), and Mark Begich (AK) - joined 41 Republicans (with Harry Reid (NV) switching to "No" on procedural grounds) in defeating the measure, which isn't likely to get another vote in the forseeable future. 

Talking About Boston

In preface to this post, I'd like to send my thoughts and prayers to the people of Boston, and my condolences and best wishes to the victims of the bombings which killed 3 and injured over 170. May God bless you and keep you in His everlasting grace during this trying time. We are, all of us, with you.