Al Sharpton's Double Standard

It's a scene I've become all too familiar with since childhood: Al Sharpton blasting the city of New York, and America, for holding on the vestiges of racism.

Michael Griffiths, Yussuf Hawkins, Tawana Brawley, Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima -- these are names that Mr. Sharpton has seared into the consciousness of my city, a reminder that there's something bigger and more dangerous than the gentrification of NYC. And for the most part, I applaud Mr. Sharpton's vigilantism.

Except not this time.

On Sunday of this week a group of cops fired 50 shots at three unarmed men who were exiting a seedy strip club in Queens. They were celebrating a bridegrooms last few hours of freedom (though he already had two kids with his fiancee) at a club known for drug dealing and prostitution. The driver of the vehicle, Sean Bell, was drunk and got behind the wheel of a car and knocked into a police vehicle twice, and then apparently tried to run an undercover officer over as well.

While 50 shots is excessive, my heart isn't bleeding for the victims. These guys weren't leaving a church social, they were drunk and getting behind the wheel of a car at 4am after being in a brothel, hours before one of them was to walk down the aisle of a church to get married. I know lots of guys do this, but it doesn't make it right.

But what really pisses me off about Al Sharpton's visiblity in this dicey situation (these boys -- the victims and the cops -- are not saints) is his lack of visibility when gay people of color are attacked. Earlier this summer NY performer Kevin Aviance was gay bashed in the East Village and nowhere was Mr. Sharpton and his crew to be seen denoucing the crime. Almost two months ago another gay black man was chased onto a highway in Brooklyn by two thugs and again, Mr. Sharpton remained conspicuously invisible.

The double standard by which everyone, even victims, judge others' right to life and happiness is sickeningly transparent.

Bring Back The Book of Daniel

Spent part of the past weekend enjoying the now-cancelled NBC series "The Book of Daniel."

In short, it's about an Episcopalian priest who is as devoted to his church as he is to his family. As it happens to all humans, his faith is constantly put to the test. Thankfully, he talks to Jesus often, and yes, he pops painkillers too.

Controversial? Hardly. I think it's a PG13 version of "Six Feet Under," minus the dead bodies and up-front man-on-man action. This was really a brilliant show with very interesting characters, some teeth-achingly sweet moments, and interesting plot twists.

Apparently the Gestapo-at-large at the American Family Association thought this was an affront to Christianity. The show was cancelled earlier this year. You can and should Netflix it, though.

TomKat, Brangelina, GeorLa or HilBill?

I am almost as sick of Tom Cruise as I am of George Bush. And that got me to thinking that these two men have lots in common. In fact, it got me to thinking that celebrity-couple adulation could in fact be the new arbiter of which side of the fence you're on in the Democrat-Republican divide.

Tom Cruise, like George Bush, is a little man. Inspired by a maniacal Napoleon-complex, Mr. Cruise is prone to dramatic, public displays of his manliness. Proposing to a nobody actress while dining at the Eiffel Tower is a Hollywood closet-case's equivalent of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It just shows everyone you've got the Godzilla-sized cojones to drag a woman to the top of a tower and make her yours. George Bush couldn't wait to wag his fist-pack at the world in 2003 and gave the finger to the UN when he launched a war on Iraq.

In both cases no one is laughing.

And that's because in a world full of so much wrong, both Tom Cruise and George Bush see it as their God-given duty to blow obscene amounts of money on their respective missions of macho-achievement. A wedding that has spiraled into the millions with every available A-lister (take it from a PR person, ALL of those actors in attendance were paid and it's the best publicity that both the house of Armani and the Hotel Hassler in Rome will ever have to buy for '07) in attendance is as offensive as Bush's billion-upon-billion-dollar blitzkreig on Iraq.

Tom Cruise and George Bush, driven by the conviction that they're BFF with God, choose to focus their power and wealth on reminding the rest of us mere mortals that we better think twice before effing with them (that means YOU, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Natalie Maines and Saddam).

On the other side of the fence, though, you have two other power-couples who are just as jetset and photogenic but are using their powers for the good of mankind.

Love em' or hate em', but Branglina are single-handedly giving the world a much-needed lesson on the issues of the world beyond The Ivy in L.A. From Ethiopia to India to Pakistan, the dynamic duo is directing the world's attention to the plight of orphans and refugees around the world. Angelina Jolie, whom I might, in another mood, call a homewrecking wacko, is a Good Will Ambassador for the UN and is a voice for the importance of global consensus on addressing the humanitarian issues of our time. What's more, her hunky husband isn't brainwashed, frightened

and lobotomized (Love ya, Laura and Katie) -- instead, Brad Pitt is happy to mind the kids while mommy saves the world or flies an airplane. And he looks damn fine doing it.

Remind you of anyone?

Kind of like Bill and Hilary right? I mean, Bill Clinton only lead our country through the high-flying 90s and spared us from a nuclear holocaust. Now, comfortable in his own skin as one of America's most beloved Presidents, he is happy to support his dynamo wife's Senator-ship while he leads a bi-partisan effort to eradicate AIDS in Africa. I can only imagine what W will do after he retires.

So, the next time you frown on TomKat and think to log on to CNN.com you're on Team Democrat. If, however, you think Brangelina are brazen fornicators and you have no time for them between Bible study and The O'Reilly Factor, you're sadly on Team GOP.

Boston University Republicans: Bigotry to End Bigotry

The next generation of Republicans are an ignorant, attention-seeking bunch of racists.

From ABC News: The Boston University Chapter of the College Republicans is starting a $250 scholarship for white students.

"We believe that racial preferences in all their forms are perhaps the worst form of bigotry confronting America today [...] There are plenty of poor, white, academically gifted students who need that money just as much," says Joe Mroszczyk, president of the student group.

The reason I'm writing about this, besides its obvious political relevance, is that BU is my alma mater. And I am deeply offended by this latest development from Bay State Road.

With BU being one of the most expensive schools in the country, I think that it's out of reach for many Americans, regardless of race. However, the school is over 50% white and many of those students are already receiving some sort of financial aid. This "whites only" scholarship is a juvenile, racist prank that undermines the values of a wonderful institution, which also happens to be the place where Martin Luther King Jr. got is PhD.

When I was at BU I was amazed by how easy it was for someone like me, a kid from a working class neighborhood in Brooklyn where a lot of people don't even speak English, to fit in. I didn't see class struggle, I never felt like I stood out, I just felt lucky to be at a great school with some very, very smart people. And a lot of those people, regardless of race, were on financial aid.

I never received any assistance from a Hispanic group (which kinda pisses me off, incidentally, but that's another story) -- instead, BU gave me a very generous package based on grades and my SAT scores and my family's income. Many of my white friends were on a similar program.

This "whites only" scholarship says a lot about the values of the Republican party -- they are divisive, they are racist and xenophobic, and they want the very best that this country has to offer to be limited to a select few so that everyone else can be shipped off to fight their dirty wars around the world.

I think this Joe Mroszczyk person should be expelled and replaced with some nice, smart, liberal kids. And if they happen to be white, so be it.

I Hate Americans

The pictures above are from the start of "Black Friday," the first shopping day of the Christmas season right after Thanksgiving.

In a world beseiged by war and famine and disease, and just hours after we're supposed to be giving thanks for the genocide of Native Americans, influenza and other gifts brought over by the Pilgrims, Americans are waiting in line to storm into stores so they can buy overpriced Japanese toys.

More power to the stores who are milking Americans' stupidity for all its worth, but to think that there are people shallow and stupid enough to make 6am shopping the focal point of their holiday is just disappointing.

Notice how fat and unattractive the people raiding the stores are, by the way. Cute people like me are at the gym at that hour. And blogging.

Springtime for Saddam?

From Voice of America News: New York-based Human Rights Watch, in a report released Monday, says former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein did not get a fair trial and therefore should not be executed.

***

Thank God for stupid, self-important lefty groups that make my job so easy on a Monday morning. The lunacy speaks for itself.

All I can say is that after a visit to DC this weekend and all of the monuments to our nation's wars, SOMEBODY needs to start paying for the death toll that's only mounting worldwide on a daily basis.

I'd say Saddam is a good start.

Gay Conservative Liberal Does Washington

Tickle me red, white, AND blue. Off to DC for the weekend. Holla if you recognize me. Expect dispatches from our nation's capital starting tomorrow.

Bush: Still Stubborn as a Mule

Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it...isn't that how the saying goes?

From CNN:

U.S. President George W. Bush said Friday the United States' unsuccessful war in Vietnam three decades ago offered lessons for the American-led struggle in Iraq.
"We'll succeed unless we quit," Bush said shortly after arriving in this one-time war capital.

[...]

"My first reaction is history has a long march and societies change and relationships can constantly be altered to the good," Bush said."

***

Well la-dee-da. The lesson here, boys and girls, all those young Americans dying in Iraq are paving the way for a hell of a photo opp for the next generation's POTUS.

I Heart John McCain

Ask and ye shall receive. On Tuesday I said that John McCain should run for President. If Rudy Giuliani wants to explore anything, he should put his little friend Bernie Kerik to work on finding Osama.

But that's neither nor here nor there. John McCain is contemplating a run for the Oval Office himself.

I like McCain. I'm not sure I'd vote Republican in a presidential election, but I appreciate the honesty of debate he would bring to the race. And I really would listen to what he has to say. This makes me wonder what I'd do if Hilary ran against him? Yikes.

But unlike so many staunch Republicans who cringe at the thought of embracing popular culture, John McCain has really endeared himself to America's young people. I know him because he hosted Saturday Night Live. Can you believe this is the same man who spent five years in a Vietnamese prison camp? It's that sort of stuff that won the MTV generation over for Bill Clinton in the 90s. Remember the boxers or briefs affair?

This is brilliant timing for McCain to seed the press with a potential run. We're fresh off the Veteran's Day holiday and we're in tizzy over the Democrats' victory last week. What this means is that Americans are over Bush's Wild West diplomacy and want smart people LISTENING to them and SPEAKING on their behalf to the rest of the world.

OK, John. We're listening. Make us an offer we can't refuse.

Giuliani in 08?

Please God, no. Sure, Giuliani did some wonderful things for NY, but the man is still a tyrant. Says CNN:

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, known for his apt leadership after the attacks of September 11, 2001, took the first step toward a possible 2008 presidential bid by forming an exploratory committee.

***

Yuck. Why won't McCain run? It would be great if he switched parties like Reagan, but still, I'd love to see him run. He's the only Republican I can stomach.

On Veteran's Day

On my way to the gym, then work but had to make note of the fact that today is Veteran's Day. Young men like Kevin Ellenburg, pictured here, are dying daily. Supposedly for our freedom but in all honesty the mess of this war has compromised the values that make this country great.

Whatever your position on the war, you can't forget that it's ordinary Americans that are being called into battle. So while I don't agree with our presence in Iraq, I support the men and women who are there, missing their families, risking their lives, and just hoping to come back home.

So, thank you to our soliders who remind us what sacrifice is, and here's to the safe return of those who remain in Iraq.

Election 2006: Ladies Stand Up

I haven't blogged in a few days because quite honestly, I've been at a loss for words over last week's elections. Am I even cut out for this game if I'm almost a week behind in my commentary? Yikes.

Anyway, in addition to the Democrats' much-deserved victory, I think it's interesting that this election is really about the women of America. Hillary is definitely running for office in '08, Nancy Pelosi is emerging as a refreshing voice of reason and authority as the next Speaker of the House, and of course, haters like Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter are resorting to the kind of girlish, bitchy behavior they so revile by coming up with lies and cheap metaphors to bemoan the direction America has now taken.

We'll get to that in a second.

First, y'all need to learn yourselves on who Nancy Pelosi is because I think she's just amazing. I especially love that she says her commitment is to the House first and to the Democrats second. Let's give a shout-out to the American Way and not parties, people.

Quick stats on the first Nancy to really make a difference in Washington (courtesy of: Wikipedia, Nancy Pelosi's Home Page):

-- Pelosi is the first woman to lead a major political party in either house of Congress, and would be the first woman to serve as Speaker.

-- Nancy is the youngest of six children born to Thomas Alessandro, Jr., former mayor of Baltimore.

-- She is Roman Catholic, pro-choice, and a supporter of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which makes it a federal crime to commit an act of violence against a pregnant woman that terminates her pregnancy. (This is where I add that I think abortion is a necessary evil for the protection of our civil liberties. I think it's sad, but unfortunately a needed resource for many women who would otherwise be trapped in a terrible situation with an unwanted birth.)

-- She is pro gun control and a supporter of immigrants' rights; in fact, she has voted againt denying public education services to illegal immigrants.

This is the kind of leadership we need in Washington. Read below for comments from Conservative luminaries who continue to reveal the hateful, backwards thinking of the Republican agenda:

Says one dried up Ann Coulter:

Democrats support surrender in Iraq, higher taxes and the impeachment of President Bush. They just won an election by pretending to be against all three.

Um, actually, Ann. You're wrong on all three fronts.

1. Wanting to end the war is not at all surrendering. Besides, what's there to surrender to? Bush told us the war was over in 90 days so what's all this hulaballo about leaving? Do the Republicans think more young men and women need to come back in body bags? Is Iraq REALLY the hub of terrorism in the Middle East? No, it's not. This is an endless battle unless we agree to negotiate with the terrorists and figure out what they want.

As a nation we're not opposed to dealing with terrorists: hello, we're bff now with Kadafi and Arafat exchanged air-kisses with Hillary Clinton.

2. Higher taxes for the betterment of society, Ann. Unlike you, not every American can pay for every which private service you enjoy. Tax dollars that are being WASTED on this dirty war and on stuffing the wallets of DC insiders who are making a killing on the killing of young Americans. You don't want higher taxes? Bring our troops back and let's invest in a new generation of well-educated, healthy Americans who don't have to worry about health care and can instead worry about supporting their families and themselves.

3. Impeach Bush? Yes, the same way the Republicans impeached Clinton because he got a blowjob. How many deaths did that result in?

***
Still, I gotta give it to Ann, for all her lying and hating, she comes up with some good stuff. Like:

Jon Tester, Bob Casey Jr., Heath Shuler, possibly Jim Webb — I've never seen so much raw testosterone in my life. The smell of sweaty jockstraps from the "new Democrats" is overwhelming.

***

Whoa. I don't know what sweaty jockstraps smell like but Ann has clearly made the rounds in America's locker rooms. She should swap stories with my BFF, Michael Lucas.

***
Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin is huffin and puffin about a minimum wage hike. Um, bitch, what the hell do you care if a McDonald's employee can feed his/her family? That's right, you don't. Don't worry, though, there are enough people in power now that are watching out for hardworking Americans so all the "values" our soldiers are dying for are actually enjoyed by our people.

Oh, and to say that Rumsfeld served his country honorably is just disgusting. The engineer of the Iraq war deserves Saddam's fate, but hey, Dems are anti-capital punishment so the old coot is spared.

***

And on the Hillary. Girl, do you, but PLEASE don't run in '08. Am I a jerk for thinking that? I just don't think all of America likes her like I do, we need someone less divisive in Oval Office. An ideal female candidate would have to be a cross between Rachel Ray and Barbra Streisand. But that's just my opinion.

It Feels Good to Win

W said it best, "I know when the campaigning ends and when the real work begins." In the face of defeat, the President held his own and directed reporters' attention to the work of government ahead instead of on the mudslinging of campaign season.

And there is a lot of work to be done. This time around, though, we've got a smart group of people speaking up on behalf of the American people. This war is wrong, everyone deserves access to the best quality of life possible, and our country is far too concerned with Bible-thumping than it ought to be. This is the party that Americans have voted in power and it behooves the Democrats to turn that good will into a White House win in '08.

People are fickle. Let's not forget that our country voted the Republicans into power in the first place. Nothing lasts forever, so let's make our time in power count.

Haggard Evangelical Politics

What a lovely way to start the week. The Evangelical Church, in its greedy, frightening, un-Christian grandstanding and power-grabbing has become the laughing stock of the American mainstream in the midst of the Reverand Ted Haggard scandal.

Of course the church is saying that one man's moral indiscretions won't change their moral standards, which are based on the Bible. And good for them, I love it when people stay on message.

I hope that this embarassing situation reminds the American public of the fallibility of religious leaders. Evangelicals, W's bff's, have no business advising our President and chiming in on issues of national policy. It's bad enough that politicians are prone to crooked morals, adding in self-hating Bible-thumpers to the mix is just asking for more trouble.

Saddam to be Hanged

From CNN: The Iraqi High Tribunal in Baghdad on Sunday sentenced a combative Saddam Hussein and two other defendants to death by hanging for a brutal crackdown in 1982 in the Shiite town of Dujail.

[...]

If the Appellate Chamber upholds the conviction and sentence, Hussein must be executed within 30 days.
***
It would seem, however, that the noose is around all of our necks. Saddam is, at best, a small part of the larger problem that is the Middle East. How many Americans have we sacrificed for this small, sigh, "victory?"

If only the world were any safer and if only this war had any hope of end in sight because of this verdict, but no. We're so stuck in this mess that many Americans will be stunned to realize that Saddam is still alive to begin with. Who's the public enemy now?

Five Questions for Michael Lucas

With porn going pop, you're going to be seeing a lot of the gentleman to the left. At least if you live in New York.

Michael Lucas, a porn empresario whom I wrote about back in September, was gracious enough to answer a few questions I had about his life and career. Mind you, I'm the biggest prude in Chelsea. I wasn't especially thrilled with Mr. Lucas and his recent sex trek through Israel. But we talked about that in the interview below, and hey, he's got a right to live his best life, right? And while I don't think porn stars should be at the forefront of the movement for increased gay visibility in the mainstream I still wonder: what IS it like to have sex for a living?

Michael's got a new film coming out, "La Dolce Vita," and he was the subject of a feature story in last week's New York magazine.

I hope this ushers in a new chapter for Gay Conservative Liberal, as I want to start interviewing people to broaden the dialogue on this blog. Anyone you'd like to see interviewed here? Ask and ye shall receive.

Thanks to Mr. Lucas for answering my questions via e-mail.

Hat tip: DCB.
****
You're huge these days! Do you think that becoming an even more visible figure in the mainstream press will ruin the fantasy that your fans have of you?

I have been in business since 1995 and obviously people know me better and better, and my popularity as a porn star has only grown with time. I guess that would answer your question. Aside from that, I never give away every detail of my life to the press. The general public knows very little about me.


You've tackled two timeless stories in your cinematic career, Dangerous Liasions and now La Dolce Vita. What are other classics that need an X-rated overhaul?

Nothing needs to be X rated at all. Dangerous Liaisons and La Dolce Vita were fantastic in their original conception and I'm not even trying to compete. But I found both storylines very sexually charged so it was easy to adapt them to an adult film. Both movies are also well known and loved, so the name recognition helps sell our film. I haven't thought about the next big project yet, but it will not be Titanic, that's for sure.

On to more serious fare: Some people (myself included) think that your recent tour of Israel may have projected an unfavorable image of gay people. How do you think your visit to the country helped advance the cause of gay rights in the Middle East?

I didn't have an agenda to advance gay rights in the Middle East. (Are you kidding me!) For the last several years I have given a club appearance in the biggest club in Tel Aviv. I have a huge fanbase in Israel and I was very grateful to have the opportunity to entertain them during a difficult time, when other much more "respectable" performers like Junior Vasquez, cancelled. I was not there to pursue a political agenda, I was there to make my fans happy and spend time in a country that I love.

Your enterprise is a family affair, so that begs the question: Is any topic off limits around the dinner table?

Everyone in my circle from my boyfriend, grandparents and friends, all knows that I am a gay porn producer and actor. But that doesn't mean that this is a topic of dinner conversation. We have much more interesting things to discuss, and I definitely have no interest in talking about the graphic sex details with my parents!

If you had to be labeled as just one thing, what would that label be?

Entrepreneur

Colombia: Your Friend in Latin America

While some may think that Venezuela, Bolivia and Brazil are leading Latin America into the bottomless pit of poverty that is communism, Colombia is doing everything it can to defend democracy. A strong US ally after the deadly drug wars of the 80s and 90s, here's a very interesting article talking about the progress made in the country from today's San Antonio Express:

In late September and early October, San Antonian Henry Catto traveled to Venezuela, Colombia and Nicaragua with a group of seven former U.S. ambassadors. In Nicaragua and Venezuela, they witnessed threats to democracy. In contrast, Colombia is presided over by a pro-U.S. president who makes democracy work in the most difficult of situations.
***

While this could very well be tinged with some GOP propaganda, after all, Colombia's President is very chummy with Bush, it's nice to know that the country isn't on W's hit list.

Note: The picture above is of an orchid, Colombia's national flower.