kpete
kpete's JournalExtramarital affair website billboard has message for Mark Sanford
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/extramarital-affair-website-billboard-features-mar/nXc53/
Jason Collins Inspires A Young Sportswriter To Come Out Of The Closet
Jason Collins Inspires A Young Sportswriter To Come Out Of The ClosetBy Outsports on Apr 30 2013, 8:44a
By Tony Jovenitti
I’m gay.
There, I said it.
Well, I didn’t say it. I wrote it.
I was always better at writing than speaking, anyway. So it’s only fitting that I’m doing this in writing. I’ve been a writer my whole life, throughout high school and into college. I’ve also known I was gay for a good portion of my life. But I did my best to hide it, quell my emotions and lie to myself and everyone around me.
Not anymore.
I got into sports writing during my junior year of college after writing for the music section and the news section of my college newspaper. I covered NCAA football and basketball before landing an awesome internship with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
So naturally, I’ve been paying close attention to the You Can Play project and the amazing work that Patrick Burke has done. And then, yesterday, the inevitable finally happened. An active player in one of the four major North American professional sports came out of the closet.
I was overjoyed to see Jason Collins invite us to know the real Jason Collins. I posted it on my Facebook to let my friends hear the news, but thanks to my internal censor, I couldn’t really reveal just how excited I was. I couldn’t let people know exactly how much this meant to me, they might find out my secret!
But then I thought about it for a while. The thing I admired most about Collins’ story is that he came out in his own words, by writing his own story.
Now, I love sports, but I don’t really care for the NBA. I’ve never even heard of Collins. I honestly thought that, with all the work Burke has been doing, the NHL would have the first openly gay athlete. But here we are, an NBA player blazing the trail. (Did Collins ever play for the Trailblazers? No? Bummer.)
The fact that he wrote his coming out story so elegantly and in such a matter-of-fact way inspired me. I’m nowhere near as big of a deal as Collins. Heck, I’m barely a sportswriter anymore; I just do it on the side. But I want to tell my story and tell the truth to anyone who cares to listen – if only for my own sake.
I’m tired of putting on the charade of being straight. I grew up in a very small town that isn’t too accepting of diversity. There was one gay kid and one black kid in my school and both were bullied mercilessly. I didn’t partake in the bullying – I’m the kind of person who stays away from conflict, even when I probably should confront something – but I just stood by and let the jocks tease the only gay person in town who had the guts to be himself. For that, I’m ashamed. I wish I could go back and do it all over. But I can’t. All I can do is offer my apologies.
I also apologize to my family and friends to whom I’ve been lying. If there’s one thing that my parents taught me growing up, it’s that lying is wrong. And I let them down. But I know that they will accept and love me no matter what. They’ve even told me this when we’ve had discussions about homosexuality. I don’t know why I’m so scared to come out to the world.
I know all my friends will be supportive, and I know they will all still think of me the same way they did before they read this. My friends are some of the most accepting and rational people that I know. I really don’t know what I’ve been waiting for.
Perhaps I’m afraid to hurt people around me – like I said, I shy away from conflict and I go out of my way to please people. I’ve dated women, including one serious relationship in college. I lied to her. I honestly did love her; she’s the nicest girl you’ll ever meet. But she didn’t deserve being lied to. I almost don’t want to write this because I don’t want to hurt her.
But this needs to happen.
Yes, being a closeted writer in the macho world of sports was difficult. It was tough to keep my guard up the whole time. But I’m professional. I was there to do a job and do it well. (And yes, Don Cherry, I did see a penis in the locker room. But guess what? I didn’t care.) I think my coworkers can attest that I did the job well. Shockingly, my sexuality has nothing to do with how good of a sportswriter I am. Just like Collins’ sexuality has nothing to do with his basketball skills.
A few people would crack homophobic "jokes" and blurt out gay slurs at the office and in the locker room. I know they didn’t mean it, but that doesn’t make it right. I’m sure they’re reading this now saying, "Oh no, I didn’t know he was gay, I wouldn’t have said that!" It shouldn’t matter if someone’s gay or not; we shouldn’t be using those words. I’m not mad at these people and still consider them my friends, but I just hope they learn from this and stop using hateful words. Again, I know they didn’t mean it, but – much like Tyler Seguin’s unfortunate tweet a few days ago – we need to learn from things like this to clean up our vocabulary.
I moved away from my friends and family for a good job. I made new friends, but I kept up the charade. Now, it’s time to tear down the walls I’ve spent my entire life building. I’ll never find happiness if I keep this up. So it’s time to do the right thing.
I’m sorry to everyone I’ve lied to.
But, I’m Tony. I love sports. I love hockey. I love the Penguins.
And I’m gay.
I can’t make up for the lies I’ve told in the past, but hopefully, everyone will forgive me and we can all move toward the future together and find happiness.
Thank you, Jason Collins.
http://www.outsports.com/2013/4/30/4284028/jason-collins-gay-nba-inspires-young-sportswriter-to-come-out-of-closet
None Dare Call It Treason: O'Connor has forfeited the right to be respected
None Dare Call It Treason
Vincent Bugliosi January 18, 2001 | This article appeared in the February 5, 2001 edition of The Nation.
In the December 12 ruling by the US Supreme Court handing the election to George Bush, the Court committed the unpardonable sin of being a knowing surrogate for the Republican Party instead of being an impartial arbiter of the law. If you doubt this, try to imagine Al Gore's and George Bush's roles being reversed and ask yourself if you can conceive of Justice Antonin Scalia and his four conservative brethren issuing an emergency order on December 9 stopping the counting of ballots (at a time when Gore's lead had shrunk to 154 votes) on the grounds that if it continued, Gore could suffer "irreparable harm," and then subsequently, on December 12, bequeathing the election to Gore on equal protection grounds. If you can, then I suppose you can also imagine seeing a man jumping away from his own shadow, Frenchmen no longer drinking wine.
................................
And if the Court's five-member majority was concerned not about Bush but the voters themselves, as they fervently claimed to be, then under what conceivable theory would they, in effect, tell these voters, "We're so concerned that some of you undervoters may lose your vote under the different Florida county standards that we're going to solve the problem by making sure that none of you undervoters have your votes counted"? Isn't this exactly what the Court did?
...........
These five Justices, by their conduct, have forfeited the right to be respected, and only by treating them the way they deserve to be treated can we demonstrate our respect for the rule of law they defiled, and insure that their successors will not engage in similarly criminal conduct.
...........
That an election for an American President can be stolen by the highest court in the land under the deliberate pretext of an inapplicable constitutional provision has got to be one of the most frightening and dangerous events ever to have occurred in this country. Until this act--which is treasonous, though again not technically, in its sweeping implications--is somehow rectified (and I do not know how this can be done), can we be serene about continuing to place the adjective "great" before the name of this country?
MORE:
http://www.thenation.com/article/none-dare-call-it-treason#
Retired Justice O’Connor hints: Bush v. Gore was a mistake
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2013/04/29/justice-oconnor-hints-bush-v-gore-was-a-mistake/
SWAT team sent to home of CNN’s Wolf Blitzer
A message sent to police in Montgomery County, Virginia on Saturday caused a SWAT team to descend upon a home owned by CNN host Wolf Blitzer, under the impression that someone at the residence had just been shot.
The report turned out to not be true, according to The Washington Post, which noted that Blitzer was not home at the time. Police were already suspicious of the message when they arrived on the scene, the Post noted, having received a text message sent through a phone provider’s emergency relay service.
The case is yet another instance of the growing trend known as “swatting,” where authorities are called to someone’s home under false pretenses. Other recent notable victims of swatting include Fox News contributor Erik Erickson, television personality Ryan Seacrest and talk show host Russell Brand, along with former Washington Post tech columnist Brian Krebs.
Police said they are still trying to determine who sent the message about a shooting at Blitzer’s home. “Wolf is fine,” a CNN spokesperson reportedly said. “That’s what matters most.”
.........
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/29/swat-team-sent-to-home-of-cnns-wolf-blitzer/
Michelle Obama tweets to gay basketball player: "We've got your back"
Michelle Obama tweets to gay basketball player: "We've got your back"
By STEVE CHAGGARIS / CBS NEWS/ April 29, 2013, 5:48 PM
Michelle Obama to Jason Collins: "We've got your back!"
First lady Michelle Obama took to Twitter Monday to offer her support for NBA player Jason Collins, the first openly gay major league professional athlete.
"So proud of you, Jason Collins! This is a huge step forward for our country. We've got your back!" she tweeted, signing it "-mo," which indicates she - not an aide - sent the message.
https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/328978522578251776
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57581982/michelle-obama-to-jason-collins-weve-got-your-back/
Polls Plummet For Senators Who Voted No On Gun Background Checks
Source: Talking Points Memo
Polls Plummet For Senators Who Voted No On Gun Background Checks
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
TOM KLUDT APRIL 29, 2013, 12:11 PM 2800
Anyone who doubted that senators could suffer political fallout for their opposition to expanding background checks on gun buyers may want to talk to Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ).
The Arizona Republican who took office in January was one of five senators whose popularity at home has declined in the wake of their votes against the gun bill, according to a survey released Monday from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling.http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_BackgroundChecks_429.pdf The measure, which was co-authored by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), fizzled in the Senate earlier this month despite polls showing staggering public support for strengthening background checks.
The backlash appears to be the harshest for Flake, whose standing in Arizona cratered following his “no” vote on background checks. With an approval rating of 32 percent, Flake is already among the least popular senators in the country, according to PPP. Fifty-one percent of Arizona voters said they disapprove of Flake, while a majority of 52 percent said that his opposition to the gun legislation makes them less likely to vote for him in the future. Moreover, a plurality of 45 percent of Arizona voters said they trust Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who was one of only four Republicans to support the measure, more than Flake on guns.
Flake’s vote drew even more scrutiny last week after the New York Daily News unearthed a letter he sent to the mother of a shooting victim in which he pledged to support stronger background checks.
Read more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/04/poll-backlash-senators-background-checks.php
I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.
This story appears in the May 6, 2013, issue of Sports Illustrated.I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.
I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.
My journey of self-discovery and self-acknowledgement began in my hometown of Los Angeles and has taken me through two state high school championships, the NCAA Final Four and the Elite Eight, and nine playoffs in 12 NBA seasons.
I've played for six pro teams and have appeared in two NBA Finals. Ever heard of a parlor game called Three Degrees of Jason Collins? If you're in the league, and I haven't been your teammate, I surely have been one of your teammates' teammates. Or one of your teammates' teammates' teammates.
....................
Why am I coming out now? Well, I started thinking about this in 2011 during the NBA player lockout. I'm a creature of routine. When the regular season ends I immediately dedicate myself to getting game ready for the opener of the next campaign in the fall. But the lockout wreaked havoc on my habits and forced me to confront who I really am and what I really want. With the season delayed, I trained and worked out. But I lacked the distraction that basketball had always provided.
Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/news/20130429/jason-collins-gay-nba-player/#ixzz2Rrld48gS
Profile Information
Member since: Fri Sep 17, 2004, 03:59 PMNumber of posts: 71,981
