This Thanksgiving week we may not feel that we have much to be thankful for because of some setbacks in the last election towards gay rights.  Thanksgiving will be the premiere of the movie Milk starring Sean Penn directed by Gus Van Sant.  Hopefully there will be a big showing of movie theaters that will be carrying the movie across the US so we can all see it without having to travel too far.  The Milk Movie also stars Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin.

Harvey Milk is known in San Francisco and around the country as a gay leader and hero.  There will also be Memorials held in various places in time for the 30th anniversary of Harvey Milk.

Harvey Milk Memorial 11-27-08 at 9pm on sidewalks of santa monica blvd where it meets san vicente.  To create an aerial candlelit equal sign demonstrating power of peace and unity.  A dignified ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Harvey Milk, a gay rights pioneer and the first openly gay man elected to public office.

Recently, a Harvey Milk day was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 30.  This bill AB 2567 would require the governor proclaim May 22 each year as Harvey Milk Day.  It is too bad this did not pass but we should all go out and support the movie and attend his Memorial if in a city where either is going on.

Thousand upon thousands of gays united across the country today to say that we want equal rights now when it comes to marriage.  We are tired of paying taxes just like every other family but not being equal.  There were protests held from Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, and 130 cities overall.

Everyone I speak to in the gay community think that Proposition 8 in California was the best thing to ever happen to gay rights.  It not only opened up the floodgates for the LGBT community to be motivated to get out there and be active but it is really bringing us together.  I attended the rally in Houston today at city hall and took some great photos of the event.

This was a highly respectable event with people dressed nicely and showing up to support love instead of hate.  I was so impressed with the speakers and the performance from Jason and deMarco who sung in a Capella.

Two lesbians took stage who have been married and not sure their current marriage status in California gave the most emotional speech.  It was an enlightening event to bring the gay community together and see so many gay youth attending.  This was no gay pride parade, nightclub, or house party but a meeting at city halls across the nation that really showed we want and deserve marriage rights just like anyone else.  America was made to give rights to minorities not to be taken away from majorities.  It was great to see everyone out and about coming together for our futures.

Networking within the gay community is a great way to make professional connections, friends, and socialize. For many of us, socializing within the LGBT community is more comfortable, relaxed and appealing. Unfortunately, especially in smaller cities, networking and socializing in the gay community often revolves around the local bars. Whether you simply prefer to avoid the bars, find that bar hopping conflicts with your other priorities, or just aren’t interested, there are ways to network and meet and greet within the gay community that do not, in fact, involve drag shows, test tube shots, and loud dance music.

First, if there is a local gay and lesbian center or organization in your area, this can be one of the best places to start looking for gay networking options. Okay, you may not be the support group type, nor in a place where you need help coming out, but quite often these centers can also offer resources, like local gay professional networking groups. If you have a local professional networking organization, this can be one of the best ways to meet other gay individuals in a relaxed setting, and might even help you make valuable professional connections. Some large corporations also maintain their own gay and lesbian professional groups within the company. If yours does, make time to participate.

Another great networking resource is local volunteer groups. You will find many LGBT folk volunteering at AIDS and HIV related organizations, but also working with queer youth, doing outreach education and volunteering in matters of sexual health. Spending some time helping out with LGBT related issues can allow you to meet others and share your skills in a meaningful way.

While it may sound simple, being out will help you to meet others. If you are open about your sexuality and relationships, you will find that others come out to you. No one is suggesting you go to work wrapped in your rainbow flag, but openness does send a message to those around you that you are comfortable in your own skin, and may allow you to meet others around you.

One website that really sticks out is Linkedin.com they feature a search where you can find other gay and lesbian professionals to show off your resume or befriend. There is also facebook but linkedin is more on the professional level for those looking to get ahead in a particular industry.

We should all get together and find out where all this money came from to get Proposition 8 passsed in California and who funded the commercials in Florida.  If Churches are getting involved in politics THEY SHOULD get their TAX EXEMPT status taken away.  Hey, what better way to get our economy back in shape get some tax money from these Churches.

Churches seem to get the free ride when it comes to taxes and we all know they are dipping into politics way more than they should.  They should be taxed just like everyone else!  We at least need to make sure this is enforced.

We should have been undercover in the churches with small recording devices.  We damn well should have been doing this.

I think the best place to make a donation right now is lambdalegal.org to help get the ball running on this.  Marching and honking may make noise but the real noise is making phone calls and sending emails to people that can make a difference.

Here’s how you get it done:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the “Mormon” or LDS Church) has gone too far in promoting the 2008 California Proposition 8, which would claims to amend the California state constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman in order to supersede a state supreme court opinion issued earlier this year. [Whether the proposition was a lawful amendment or a revision that cannot legally be made by a voter initiative remains an open question.]

Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26, which governs tax-exempt organizations, reads (emphasis added):

(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

(The “otherwise provided” clause does not apply, as the LDS Church, being a church, is a disqualified entity as described in subsection (h).)

The LDS church, through inciting its members to donate time and means to support Proposition 8 (resulting in millions of dollars of cash contributions from its members and countless volunteer hours), and in-kind campaign contributions to a group that supports Proposition 8, has now made a substantial part of its activities attempting to influence legislation.

You can help! Send the IRS an official complaint about the LDS Church’s activities, either by email, fax or US Mail.

1. Prepare a copy of the Official LDS Prop. 8 Letter read in all LDS churches in California on 29 June 2008.
2. Prepare one or more other articles of your choice (you can use these links, or do your own research) showing the LDS Church’s substantial activities attempting to influence this legislation.
3. Prepare this Pre-Filled IRS Form 13909 and add your personal information, or fill out a Blank IRS Form 13909 from scratch with the information in the pre-filled form (these links and an alternative filled form are copied below in RESOURCES.)
4. Don’t forget to date your referral at the top and include your submitter information. If you are a member of the Church, you may wish to check the box marked “I am concerned that I might face retaliation or retribution if my identity is disclosed.”
5. Send it to the IRS, either by:
   * Email: Prepare your documents as PDF’s or web links, and send your complaint form with supporting documentation to eoclass@irs.gov.
   * Fax: fax your documents to (214) 413-5415
   * Mail: mail your documents to
   IRS EO Classification
   Mail Code 4910DAL
   1100 Commerce Street
   Dallas TX 75242-1198

RESOURCES:
Official IRS Complaint Process for Tax-Exempt Organizations
US Code Title 26, Section 501
Official LDS Prop. 8 Letter
List of LDS Entities (Source of Tax ID Number)

Information required for IRS Form 13909:
Name of Referred Organization: The Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Street Address: 50 E. North Temple St., Salt Lake City UT 84150
Organization’s EIN: 23-7300405
For Section 4, see the Pre-Filled IRS Form 13909, or write your concerns in your own words. If your reader will not open that form, try the Alternative Pre-Filled 13909.

Thanks to a formerly faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (”the Church”) for the update to this for us to take action.

The Mormons managed to spend millions and use Karl-Rove type scare tactics in getting the word out that gays will be teaching your children about homosexuality at an early age in schools.  They did this because they are so scared of gays having a right to marry.  The Catholics were also part of the big circus against gays in Proposition 8 and most surprising were Black Churchgoers who were excited to bring in Obama as the first Black President.

Gays and Lesbians will now know that they can’t just go around thinking that a minority will care about the GLBT cause.  The “minorities” will look out for their selfish religious beliefs first.  It was sad to see so many blacks voting for Proposition 8 as if they forgot what being discriminated against was like and as if they forgot what it felt to be on this side of the fence.

Ellen Degeneres said on her blog today that:

This morning, when it was clear that Proposition 8 had passed in California, I can’t explain the feeling I had. I was saddened beyond belief. Here we just had a giant step toward equality and then on the very next day, we took a giant step away.

I believe one day a “ban on gay marriage” will sound totally ridiculous. In the meantime, I will continue to speak out for equality for all of us.

We can hope that a Democratic controlled congress and senate and president will change things for gay rights but I have my doubts.  They want to get re-elected in 2-4 years and how can they if they dare approve of such a thing as gay marriage, hate crime legislation, and putting more money into a real hiv cure.

GLBT lost a lot this election even worse off than we were 2 years ago.  Sally Kerns in Oklahoma got re-elected – you know the lady who calls Gays Terrorists.  Keith Olbermann has not made her a Worst Person in the World for some reason I sure wish he would.  This lady is the witch of witches.  I have a friend in her district of 86 in OKC and he could not believe she won again.

There was also Andrew Rice out of Oklahoma who got beat out.  Then there was Florida who voted to put more discrimination against gays in their constitution.  I could expect this attitude out of Arizona but why Florida and California.  How disappointing is that?

We can be proud of Massachetts who legalized marriage and pot but pretty much disguisted with the rest of the country right now!

Bottom Line:  We pay taxes just like everyone else.  Equal rights should be given to every tax-paying citizen.  Keep in mind these churches do not pay taxes but yet they seem to control every social issue in our government.