http://www.FightHateNow.org
Judy Shepard lost her son Matthew to an anti-gay hate crime more than 10 years ago. Since then tens of thousands more Americans have been the victims of hate violence. Tell Congress it's time to act.

HRC - The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has released it's "Buying for Equality Guide" for 2009

...The Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Buying for Equality guide will help you easily support companies that support equality for LGBT Americans.

Ratings in Buying for Equality are based on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's annual report card, the Corporate Equality Index. A record 260 businesses scored 100 percent on this year's report, which is a significant increase from the 195 businesses that earned a perfect score last year. From enhanced domestic partner benefits to transgender inclusion in non-discrimination policies, we are seeing a revolution in the American workplace.

Download the guide here:  Buying for Equality 2009 - pdf

Obama-Clinton

The press is spinning this as meaning the end of any hope for Senator Clinton to be Senator Obama's running-mate.

Senator Hillary Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, August 26th - the second night of the convention.  August 26, 2008 is also the 88th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the Constiution, which allowed women the right to vote.  To honor this historic anniversary, Senator Clinton will be joined on stage by all the women Senators and Michelle Obama.

I don't know if it means Senator Clinton is no longer being considered as vice-president.  Considering the significance of the date, this comes as no surprise to me.  I also do not think this is anything that Seantor Obama even had to think about.  The media is growing bored and they are trying to stir something up.

I advocate for Senator Obama and the Democratic Party.  I'm also a strong advocate for Senator Clinton.  In my heart I believe she should be Senator Obama's running mate.  I'll continue to advocate for Senator Obama regardless of his selection.  However, if he doesn't offer the spot to Senator Clinton, I think he is settling for second best.  I feel very strongly about that.

19th Amendment to the United States Constitution

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.  Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

As long as the media is spending an inordinate amount of time analyzing statements, let's take a look at this...

Yesterday John McCain told a town hall meeting that he "can look you in the eye and tell you [our strategy in Iraq] is succeeding." As evidence, McCain claimed that Mosul is "quiet" and that U.S. troops have "drawn down to pre-surge levels."

and barely a bleep minimal coverage from the mainstream media outlets.  Surprised? I'm not.

So here are a couple of stories out of Mosul, Iraq yesterday:

Suicide Bomber Driving Police Vehicle Killed 3 in Mosul:  "Another suicide bomber driving a police vehicle struck Iraqi commandos earlier Thursday in Mosul, killing three of them and wounding nine other people, according to battalion commander Capt. Aziz Latif. The victims were from a unit sent from the southern city of Kut to participate in the Mosul crackdown, Latif said."

Another Suicide Bomber Killed 14 Police Applicants in Mosul, Iraq:  A suicide bomber killed 14 police recruits and two policemen in northern Iraq on Thursday, police and military sources said. An attacker wearing a military uniform detonated an explosive vest near a police recruiting centre where about 200 applicants queued at Sinjar, near Mosul, police said. Ten police recruits and five police officers were wounded, police and military sources said. Sunni insurgents have carried out frequent attacks on police recruits, killing hundreds."

and concerning the number of troops in Iraq:

Petraeus Expects to Recommend Troop Cuts in Iraq This Fall:  U.S. troop strength peaked in Iraq last year at about 165,000. Recent and already approved drawdowns are expected to bring the level to about 133,000 by the end of July.
Washington Post 05/22/2008

I think I'll file this under my new "I'm Just Saying" tag.

I just ran across this story...

Florida delegates sue DNC over primary votes
Reported by: Don Germaise
May 22, 2008 12:54 pm

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Three Florida delegates, including the state's Senate Democratic leader have filed a federal lawsuit against the Democratic National Committee claiming the DNC violated their constitutional rights by barring them from the party's national convention...
 
The litigation takes aim at three essential issues:
 

1. The DNC broke its own rules by not investigating the events that led to Florida's ealy vote before punishing the state.
2. Even though Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina also broke the same party rules by moving up their primaries, they were not sanctioned as Florida was, but were instead granted a waiver by the DNC from any such penalties.
3. As the controversy unfolded, the DNC maintained that Florida should have held a post-primary Caucus. Doing so, Geller argued, likely would have resulted in only about 100,000 votes being counted, a tiny fraction of the 1.75 million voters who turned out in January, while at the same time, completely disenfranchising Florida Democrats in our country’s military serving outside of Florida.

From UPI (United Press International):

U.S. to renew Blackwater contract
April 5, 2008 at 9:48 AM

WASHINGTON, April 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department will renew its contract with Blackwater to provide security for American diplomats in Iraq, an official said.

Blackwater Worldwide -- based in Moyock, N.C. – was thrust into the international spotlight in September after its guards shot and killed 17 Iraqi civilians, including women and children...

...Greg Starr, acting assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, said while no provisions have been added to the government's contract with Blackwater, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ordered several procedural changes after the September incident...

...Private security contractors, such as Blackwater, have immunity from Iraqi law under a provision instituted shortly after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq...

...Blackwater has received more than $1 billion in federal business since 2000...

Apparently it's not such a good idea

2 hours later, also from UPI (Untied Press International):

Official: Blackwater extension 'bad news'
April 5, 2008 at 11:46 AM

BAGHDAD, April 5 (UPI) -- An adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the U.S. State Department's renewal of Blackwater's contract to provide security in Iraq is unfortunate...

...The Iraqi government urged the State Department to sever ties with North Carolina-based Blackwater after some of its guards killed17 people, including women and children, last September.

"This is bad news," Maliki adviser Sami al-Askari told CNN Saturday...

...The Iraqi government might contest Blackwater's contract renewal...

Another Maliki adviser, Sadeq al-Rikabi, said the Blackwater contract would be essentially temporary since the United Nations mandate under which the U.S. government operates in Iraq will expire at the end of 2008 and be replaced by a bilateral agreement now under negotiation.

Dr. Maya Angelou has a new post up on Hillary Cliton's blog as part of a series in celebration of Women's History Month.

Celebrating Women:  A Note from Dr. Maya Angelou
by Dr. Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

This is not the first time you have seen Hillary Clinton seemingly at her wits end, but she has always risen, always risen, much to the dismay of her adversaries and the delight of her friends.

Hillary Clinton will not give up on you and all she asks of you is that you do not give up on her.

There is a world of difference between being a woman and being an old female. If you’re born a girl, grow up, and live long enough, you can become an old female. But, to become a woman is a serious matter. A woman takes responsibility for the time she takes up and the space she occupies.

Hillary Clinton is a woman. She has been there and done that and has still risen. She is in this race for the long haul. She intends to make a difference in our country.

She is the prayer of every woman and man who long for fair play, healthy families, good schools, and a balanced economy.

She declares she wants to see more smiles in the families, more courtesies between men and women, more honesty in the marketplace. Hillary Clinton intends to help our country to what it can become.

She means to rise.

She means to help our country rise. Don’t give up on her, ever.

In fact, if you help her to rise, you will rise with her and help her make this country a wonderful, wonderful place where every man and every woman can live freely without sanctimonious piety, without crippling fear.

Rise Hillary.

Rise.