President OBAMA hosted a reception at The White House to commemorate the enactment of The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act Wednesday evening in the East Room, where hours earlier he signed the historic legislation. His appearance was brief and to the point, and had you been fashionably late, as most good gays and lesbians are, you might have missed it.

Gays and lesbians celebrating social occasions at The White House are becoming commonplace under this administration. OBAMA was the first to invite gay and lesbian families to the Easter Egg Roll on the lawn out side the President's residence. There was a reception with many gay and lesbian leaders when HARVEY MILK was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom. And there have been rumors of coffee klatches with HRC leadership, leading up to the President speaking at that organization's annual dinner several weeks ago.

But on Wednesday night, it was a gay old party indeed, in the foyer leading into the East Room. All of the same-sex glitterati seemed to be there, noshing on crudite fit for the Queen, with open bar and live music for fun. The grand portico was even decked out with a giant pink ribbon, for those who couldn't find the place. Sure, it was there for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but come on, a 40-foot pink ribbon screams party in nearly all gentrified communities.

President Obama greets Representative John Conyers as Senator Arlen Specter and Representative Barney Frank look on.

The cast of characters was varied and diverse, a hallmark of all good parties. Attorney General ERIC HOLDER was there, along with Illinois Senator DICK DURBIN. The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, CARL LEVIN was there, along with the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee JOHN CONYERS. Out and open Representatives BARNEY FRANK, TAMMY BALDWIN and JARED POLIS were there, along with newly flaming liberal Senator ARLEN SPECTER. SPECTER, who recently "came out" of his republican skin, declaring himself a democrat with time to convince his constituents before the 2010 election, where he faces an impressive opponent, Congressman JOS SESTAK, himself a 3-star admiral with 31 years military experience.

SPECTER last week announced his support for repeal of DOMA. How things have changed. SESTEK is a strong supporter of abolishing "Don't Ask Don't Tell." We believe President OBAMA is in agreement on both of these issues, if only he were as fervent.

David Mixner	DC Councilman David Catania

Anyway, back to the party. Activist and power broker DAVID MIXNER was there. District of Columbia City Councilman DAVID CATANIA, one of the sponsors of proposed legislation for the district which would allow gays and lesbians to be married within DC was there. Singer and activist CYNDI LAUPER was there. She has been a steadfast supporter of the gay and lesbian cause, perhaps partly because so many of her fans are so. She twice toured with a group of gay and lesbian "friendly" artists on her True Colors Tour. She also has a lesbian sister for whom she shows tireless support. And then there's this: she's an enlightened human being.

Years ago in an interview at an event honoring JUDY SHEPARD, she told us, "You know, in the 60's I was there when white people stood up for black people and said this is not right. And in the 70's I was there when men stood up for woman and said this is not right. And so now, all of us straight people need to stand up and say this is not right. Discrimination is not right."

Can one be more enlightened? We love her.

The party people were herded into the East Room, the largest room in The White House and the anticipation was palpable. Standing on the risers in the back, it was a surreal site. Yellow drapes, actually gold silk lampas designed during the Kennedy administration and finally installed during Johnson's reign, hung from ceiling to floor on the stately windows at either ends of the room. Candleabra lighting cast a soft golden glow across the room, which was now roaring with chatter and excitement. Three Bohemian crystal chandeliers occupied the space in the upper tier of the 25-foot ceiling space. A 1797 portrait of GEORGE WASHINGTON, the oldest possession in this old house, alongside its companion portrait of MARTHA, stared out at the nuveau-celebrants as if to say, "Who are you, and what are you doing in here?". I thought to myself, how many times do you think this has happened in here? Not many, if ever. This room that has seen President Lincoln host a reception for General Ulysses S. Grant in 1864 prior to his taking charge of Union forces; this room where Amy Carter used to roller skate; and this room where Amy Adams used to hang laundry to dry; this room had seen it all, but perhaps never this.

The President strode into the room to thunderous applause followed by DENNIS and JUDY SHEPARD, and BETTY BYRD BOATNER and LOUVON HARRIS. They took places flanking the President on a raised platform as he spoke to the rapturous crowd.

"To all the activists, all the organizers, all the people who helped make this day happen, thank you for your years of advocacy and activism, pushing and protesting that made this victory possible.

You know, as a nation we've come far on the journey towards a more perfect union. And today, we've taken another step forward. This afternoon, I signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. "

As is often the case, President OBAMA says the right words. We had come far. But on this night he seemed weary. His energy was waning. That would be understandable, but this was no less an important moment than any of the others for which he has mustered the energy.

"You understood that we must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits -- not only to inflict harm, but to instill fear. You understand that the rights afforded every citizen under our Constitution mean nothing if we do not protect those rights -- both from unjust laws and violent acts. And you understand how necessary this law continues to be."

How about: "Once and for all, hatred and discrimination against gays, lesbians and transgenders will not pass!" The President's words seemed labored, as if he was not on solid ground. He was uneasy, not outraged.

"In April of 1968, just one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, as our nation mourned in grief and shuddered in anger, President Lyndon Johnson signed landmark civil rights legislation. This was the first time we enshrined into law federal protections against crimes motivated by religious or racial hatred -- the law on which we build today.

As he signed his name, at a difficult moment for our country, President Johnson said that through this law 'the bells of freedom ring out a little louder.' That is the promise of America. Over the sounds of hatred and chaos, over the din of grief and anger, we can still hear those ideals -- even when they are faint, even when some would try to drown them out. At our best we seek to make sure those ideals can be heard and felt by Americans everywhere. And that work did not end in 1968. It certainly does not end today. But because of the efforts of the folks in this room -- particularly those family members who are standing behind me -- we can be proud that that bell rings even louder now and each day grows louder still."

It's been more than 40 years since that bell of freedom and equality rang out for Americans, and here was a room of people still struggling with discrimination and unequal rights. Again, he was reading words. No indignation. No recognition of the complete disjoinder that 40 plus years have passed since the civil rights achievements in the '60's and we are still "working on it" for gays, lesbians and transgenders.

With that he was done. No more than 5 or 6 minutes, plus a few moments of glad handing, and he was off, leaving the celebration in a lurch. There was some mild reaction, but it seemed those in the room had expected more. That has been the knock on President OBAMA in the 10 months he has been in office. He promised so much in his campaign; he has inspired such hope among so many; and has left his some wanting more.

In the case of gays and lesbians, much more.

Earlier in the week, at a fundraiser in Florida, he told a group of democrats, "Here is my main message to you: we're just getting started. Change isn't supposed to be easy. We're supposed to have to fight for it."

Perhaps that is the problem. Change, as it is coming for the GLBT community, seems to be happening without much of a fight. It is trickling in, bit by bit, almost too easily. Change is indeed coming. But it didn't come in time for MATTHEW SHEPARD or JAMES BYRD. There we all were, in the East Room of The White House. Surely change was coming. But how many others will lose their lives before this change that we are "fighting" for takes full force and effect? The Hate Crime legislation doesn't even address the issue of bigotry that allowed those men to be killed. Someone has to stand up, and tell the country, you cannot discriminate against gays, lesbians and transgenders. It's not right. Period. It's almost insane that the government will now outlaw hate crimes, but itself fuels the bigotry that drives these crimes in so many laws that tolerate if not encourage disparate treatment for gays, lesbians and transgenders. It's ridiculous, and the President needs to say it at every opportunity.

Attorney General Eric Holder

It was certainly ironic that the President mentioned the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed into law by President LYNDON JOHNSON. That act granted blacks, and all racial minorities, sweeping civil rights, across the board. It was a sea change from the society that existed prior to its passage. It was dramatic, and abrupt, and it took great pains to implement. Many people died, in violent upheavals, for that evolution to take effect. Many people had to rethink their outlook, and their treatment of minorities, in an instant. And by the way, we were in the middle of a war, a terrible, costly, deadly war, when this comprehensive change took place.

Here we were in the East Room, the President now gone, commemorating 2 families, with sons, who died because society was allowed to a treat them as second class citizens, as subhumans. Thousands of others have died in the very same fashion, at the hands of an uneducated, unyielding society, clinging to its tradition, to its shameful scourge of discrimination. It really is no different than the terrible injustice that existed in the '60's. How many more teens must commit suicide because of the bullying, hateful communities in which they live? How much longer will this President preside over a country that allows, tolerates, even condones discrimination against gays and lesbians. It's just about the last guilty pleasure that bigoted Americans can hang onto. And we are still "working on it."?

So it was shocking to hear President OBAMA invoke the legacy of the civil rights act on this occasion. This was no omnibus of solutions for all of the indignities suffered by gays and lesbians in this legislation. In fact, the hate crimes provisions were an aside, in a defense spending bill. This was not enough, and none too soon, given MATTHEW SHEPARD and JAMES BYRD were heinously murdered more than 10 years ago.

Demonstrators with Equality Forum outside the White House on the day of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act signing. Malcolm Lucas, Executive Director of that organization cites that more than 16,000 gay, lesbian and transgenders have been victims of hate crimes in the 10 years since Matthew Shepard and James Bryd were killed.

It was clear to me, as a spectator at this event, that while President OBAMA will sign the bills that come his way, piece-mealing together our civil rights act until we finally compile enough rights to approach equality. And, it is possible, even likely that he will preside over the most gains and accomplishments for the GLBT community during his term or terms than any other president we have known. But this fight is not his fight. This cause is not his cause.

For if it were, he would have sensed, that, this was OUR moment. On THIS night, after THIS long struggle, in THIS East Room of The White House, OUR White House, this was OUR cry for equality. It was OUR time to be treated as equals. It was about time we stop getting murdered for who we are. And it was finally time for everyone to get up to speed: we are all the same. We are all equal. We will not tolerate discrimination of any kind, any longer.

I've seen him turn it on, as you have so many times. He has done it in stadiums with tens of thousands of people. He has done it in gymnasiums for high school students, and in labor halls for union workers, and at convention centers for teachers and nurses. He speaks to us all. He is president for us all. But on this night, in his house, in a room with maybe 300 people, he couldn't do it. He didn't do it.

President OBAMA was there. He went through the motions. He said the right things. But he didn't seem to get it. He brought up the civil rights act; can he not see it? Would he expect blacks and other minorities to be happy with a few rights here and there, hopscotched together across the country, not even uniformly throughout all 50 states? Would he ask Latinos or Asians or anyone else born on this Earth for that matter, to tolerate being a second class citizen, for even a day longer?

Why not treat this like the matter that it is, a civil rights battle that is 40 years on, and in need of an end. Why not simple add the words "gay. lesbian and transgender" to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that same civil rights act he spoke about so glowingly. Simple, and done, and EQUAL. Then the bells would really ring. And we can get on to the difficult business of making everyone finally live it.

Equal at last. Equal at last. Thank God almighty, we are equal at last. Ring a bell Mr. President?

The signing ceremony was a formal affair, with a heavy military presence. It was, after all, a military spending bill that was passed.

But later in the evening the President hosted a cocktail reception, with fantastic mini sliders and open bar in the great foyer of the East Room. Gay power brokers, and power couples chattered it up before being called into the East Room, the same place where the signing had occurred earlier, now devoid of all chairs.

There the President flanked by Matthew Shepards parents, Denis and Judy, and James Bryd Jr.'s sisters, Betty Byrd Boatner and Louvon Harris, dedicated his comments to hate crimes and the struggle for more than 10 years to pass this legislation.

Some notable folks were in the room, including Attorney General ERIC HOLDER, Senator DICK DURBIN from the President's state of Illinois, Representatives BARNNEY FRANK, TAMMY BALDWIN and JARED POLIS, and CYNDI LAUPER, who was seen posing with many of the attendees, and consoling JUDY SHEPARD, who was overwhelmed by the impact of the historic occasion.

It was the 3rd annual ROCK THE KASBAH at Vibiana, an historic church in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, now converted to amazing party space, hosted by Sir RICHARD BRANSON and his mother EVE. Proceeds, 100% of the donations received(thanks to BRANSON and the VIRGIN GROUP underwriting the costs), from the event went to VIRGIN UNITE and THE EVE BRANSON FOUNDATION, organizations helping to improve the lives of people around the world.

On hand to entertain the glittering guests, including SHARON STONE, LINDSAY LOHAN, JENNA ELFMAN, KRISTIN CAVALLARI, LINDSAY PRICE, JAMIE RAY NEWMAN, DAISY FUENTES and fiance MATT GOSS, SHAWN KING, CHARLOTTE ROSS, PAULA ABDUL and GUSTAVO SANTAOLLA were performers, GAVIN ROSSDALE, NATASHA BEDINGFIELD and ESTELLE.

Sir RICHARD BRANSON arrived arm in a sling, a result of an accident on one of his quad "motorized bikes", but he was charming as always, taking the time to speak with all the media, and to pose with SHARON STONE and NATASHA BEDINGFIELD on the red carpet. His mother EVE revealed signs of where Sir RICHARD gets the beaming personality and endless energy, as she also took the time to speak with the press about her girls school and healthcare center in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

click to hear Sir Richard Branson

The highlight of the arrival line were two late arriving, but attention-getting stars, PAULA ABDUL and LINDSAY LOHAN, who, though, both there well past the 8pm start time, also took time to speak with the camera crews. What a night at the Kasbah!

	photo by Bill Manuel

It took more than 10 years, but both the House and Senate have now passed a hate crimes act that includes gays, lesbians and transgenders in a protected class, and we have a president who has vowed to sign it. The Matthew Shepard Act will finally become law.

We spoke with JUDY SHEPARD at the Equality March on October 11th, after an evening where the Human Rights Campaign honored MATTHEW and the SHEPARD family, the very same night President OBAMA told the audience he would sign the law once the Senate passed it. That act happened today, by a vote of 68-29.

The act was attached to a Defense Department authorization measure, which includes some $130 billion for ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as funding for a second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a measure the OBAMA administration opposed, calling it wasteful. But it is anticipated that President OBAMA will indeed sign the legislation.

The President sent Attorney General ERIC HOLDER to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of passage of this bill in June of this year. That committees Chairman, Senator PATRICK LEAHY issued a statement today:

"After more than a decade, Congress is finally set to pass the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, and I expect the President to sign it promptly. I am proud that Congress has come together to show that violence against members of any group because of who they are will not be tolerated in this country...

Earlier this month was the 11th anniversary of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a college student who was beaten and killed solely because of his sexual orientation. Matthew’s parents have worked courageously and tirelessly for this legislation, which aims to ensure that this kind of despicable act will never be tolerated in this country. The bill was named for Matthew, as well as for James Byrd, Jr., a black man who was killed in 1998 because of his race in another awful crime that galvanized the Nation against hateful violence. We appreciate and honor the important contributions of James Byrd’s family as they have worked hard for this legislation.

Unfortunately, the years since these two horrific crimes have made clear that hate crimes remain a serious and growing problem. Most recently, the shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum showed that these vicious crimes continue to haunt our country. This bipartisan legislation will help law enforcement respond more effectively to this problem. ..

The answer to hate and bigotry has to ultimately be found in increased respect and tolerance for all our citizens. In the meantime, strengthening our Federal hate crimes legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need is a necessary step...

President Obama has worked closely with us to facilitate the quick passage of this vital hate crimes legislation. In his first few months in office, he has acted to ensure that Federal benefits are awarded more equitably, regardless of sexual orientation, and now to ensure that this hate crimes legislation becomes law. Unlike in previous years, our bipartisan hate crimes bill does not face a veto threat. We have a President who understands that crimes motivated by bias are particularly pernicious crimes that affect more than just their victims and those victims’ families. I expect the President to sign this legislation without delay.

Hate crimes instill fear in those who have no connection to the victim other than a shared characteristic such as race or sexual orientation. For nearly 150 years, we have responded as a Nation to deter and to punish violent denials of civil rights by enacting Federal laws to protect the civil rights of all of our citizens. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 continues that great and honorable tradition. Passage of this legislation, at last, will show, once again, that America values tolerance and protects all of its people. "

Change is coming, almost everyday.

Hear Judy Sheppard backstage at the National Equality March

A majority of Republicans voted against The Matthew Shepard Act, despite it being entwined in a Defense Department authorizations bill, but some notable senators from the conservative side of the aisle did vote in favor, including Senator JOHN McCAIN of Arizona, Senator JOHN CORNYN of Texas and Senator JOHN ENSIGN of Nevada. They, along with the 6 other Republicans who voted yea can of course take shelter behind the provisions of the bill that funded the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. McCAIN actually called the inclusion of the hate crimes provisions in the authorization act, "an abuse of the Senate process."

One Democrat, Senator RUSS FEINGOLD of Wisconsin voted against the bill, though he did state his support for the hate crimes provisions. He was opposed to the funding in the bill for the war since it allowed for an open-ended commitment to that conflict.

For a complete list of how each senator voted, go to: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00327#position

President OBAMA continued his dizzying balancing act, besides pulling America and the world back from the brink of economic disaster; managing an exit strategy out of the minefield that is Iraq; saving face and lives whilst retooling strategy in Afghanistan; manipulating the health care debate such that a public option is somehow now favored by a majority of the public and is back on the table; picking a fight with Fox News against the better judgement of mass punditry; and today, announcing through HUD and HHS two groundbreaking new policies which move the fight for GLBT equality 1 more step forward.

The man is a wonder.

Through his Housing and Urban Development department, President OBAMA took steps today to ensure GLBT inclusion in the protections offered by HUD. Secretary SHAUN DONOVAN announced a series of changes in HUD policy which will make HUD's core housing programs open to all without regard to sexual preference or gender identity. "The evidence is clear that some are denied the opportunity to make housing choices in our nation based on who they are and that must end. President OBAMA and I are determined that a qualified individual and family will not be denied housing choice based on sexual orientation or gender identity," DONOVAN said.

Meanwhile, over at Health and Human Services, Secretary KATHLEEN SEBELIUS today announced plans to establish the nations first national resource center to assist communities across the country in providing services and other support for elder gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender elders. The new Resource Center will provide information and resources for existing GLBT organizations, as well as mainstream aging service providers in local communities to assist them in the development and provision of culturally sensitive support services for this group of older citizens.

Change takes time, but, change is coming.

The National Equality March failed to get much support from members of Congress. In fact, not 1 senator or representative showed their face in support of the rally. Organizers asked that to participate in the event, an elected representative needed to support an agenda of equal rights across the board, and apparently none of the 100 senators or 435 representatives could do so, not even our 3 openly gay members, BARNEY FRANK, TAMMY BALDWIN or JARED POLIS. Senate Majority Leader HARRY RIED
did issue a letter to the steering committee endorsing the march and pledging support for gays rights legislation like repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" and the Hate Crimes bill, but no one is talking full equal rights as promised by the 14th Amendment to the constitution. How hard would it be to add "gay, lesbian and transgender" to the Civil Rights Act of 1964? This isn't anywhere near being on the agenda.

But in the week prior to the march, we were able to get 3 representatives to go on camera and discuss equal rights for LGBT people, one of them a republican, Representative ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN. Their comments reflect the reality that gaining congressional support, for piecemeal legislation, or someday, asweeping equal rights bill will be difficult, but not impossible.

The NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH came to Washington yesterday, and the big mystery was finally answered-the people came. USA Today described the crowd as "thousands"; The Washington Post cited "tens of thousands"; the rumor among the crowd on Sunday was that the Metropolitan Police were calling it 150,000. If so, that would be very significant, though they don't officially release estimates of crowd size in the District. Based on past experience covering marches in Washington, I would say this group numbered 200,000 or more.

Standing in front of the White House, where the marchers streamed by, it took nearly 2 hours before the entire line had passed.

The march continued down to Pennsylvania Avenue and on to the Capitol, where speakers lined up to rally a jubilant audience under a warm DC sun.

The President did not show his face in the windows of the White House as the thousands trailed by. Nor did he make an appearance on the steps of the Capitol, despite calls from many of the speakers. He certainly heard the chanting and roaring of the gays, lesbians, transgenders and their supporters, as did anyone else in the downtown area on Sunday. It was an impressive display.

Earlier in the day the President and his family attended Sunday service at St. John's Episcopal Church, itself on the route the marchers followed. And he strolled home, arm in arm with his family, along Pennsylvania Avenue, as if testing the route the group would later follow.

He spoke the evening before, at the HRC Annual Dinner, held to a well dressed crowd at the convention center that included TIPPER GORE, Representative PATRICK KENNEDY, MARTINA NAVRATILOVA, JUDY SHEPARD, DAVID HUEBNER, the openly gay and newly appointed ambassador designee to New Zealand, with entertainment by the cast of Fox series GLEE and LADY GAGA. The President, in his populist/humorist way, had the gag line of the evening,

"It's a privilege to be here to open for LADY GAGA."

video

She appeared on Sunday, telling the crowd of mostly fans, that it was "the most important day of my career." She called out to President OBAMA, "Are you listening?" No doubt he was, if not hanging out of a window at the White House, then on television, where the podium was covered live by C-SPAN.

JUDY SHEPARD also appeared before the crowd, expressing hope that after 10 plus years, the prospects for a Hate Crimes bill were looking better than ever. The House passed a bill last week, and the President, on Saturday night, vowed to sign it once it passes the Senate. That's a hurdle that has done this legislation in before.

CYNTHIA NIXON introduced JUDY SHEPARD, with perhaps the best speech of the day. She hailed her congressman, Representative GERALD NADLER, who has introduced legislation to repeal DOMA, or as NIXON put, "the absurdly named Defense of Marriage Act." But it was her words on 2nd class citizens, in reference to MATTHEW SHEPARD that were the most powerful of the day. "Our right to marry is of paramount importance whether you as an individual gay person listening to me right now want to get married now or ever. It is important because when a country has different laws for different categories of people it sends its population a message that the different group of people with lessor rights are somehow inferior and less deserving of respect and are in fact not wholly human. And that message is heard loud and clear by the worst elements in our society. And it instructs them that if they are looking for someone to bully or beat, or even kill. If they are looking for someone vulnerable to prey upon, gay people are a ready target. And that is why this movement is not just about our ability to get married. It's not just about our ability to have a party and invite all our friends. It's not even about our ability to stand up publicly and declare our love for the person we want to spend the rest of our life with. It is about demanding equal rights, equal responsibilities, equal opportunities, equal treatment, and equal protection under the law, so that we can herald in a new day, and so that no parent will ever have to endure what our next speaker has to endure."

She told us backstage of the trip she made down to DC from New York with friends and other Broadway actors, listening to disco and watching JUDY GARLAND SHOW episodes on a bus from New York City. It was a spirit that permeated the crowd, many of whom made similar sojourns to be at the event.

Another highlight was British songstress BILLIE MYERS, who sang "America the Beautiful", a song she said that is sung everyday, and at some point by everyone in this country, few of whom know it was written by a lesbian. DAVE KOZ backed MYERS with a fantastic saxophone rendition of the patriotic song. BILLIE also spoke about President OBAMA. "I'm sorry but I didn't like the speech. Did he mention marriage?" BARNEY FRANK was a punching bag for most of the day, with many of the speakers mocking his comments that marches are "useless." It simply was not fathomable to so many demonstrators, who tied up much of the downtown for most of Sunday, that this effort, and this moment was of no value. The day included some funny, but pointed moments from comedienne KATE CLINTON, a powerful poem from Jamaican-born STACEYANN CHIN (video) , and a fantastic closing number, "Let the Sunshine In" from the Broadway cast of Hair, but for the most part it was all business.

video

video

CLEVE JONES took great strides to not make this another "party" or "gaypalooza". "We celebrate a lot in this community," CLEVE said. Instead, the march was a call to action, an political action training session, with the goal being each of the attendees to go back to their districts and rally support for gay and lesbian issues, and pressure their local representatives. "We didn't organize to march", said JONES, "we march to organize."

The fight for LGBT equality erupted throughout Washington DC, with CLEVE JONES and the National Equality March breaking out into a variety of training sessions and activist meetings, a day in advance of the protest march to the steps of the capitol. President OBAMA entered the fray with a speech at the HRC Annual Dinner, where he assured giddy guests, "I'm here with you in that fight."

But reaction among organizers of the march, and other noted activists was not what the President might have expected.

The day started with a "stunned" CLEVE JONES, who poured over his handheld, not sure if he had read it right. The night before HRC'S President JOE SOLMONESE in his weekly statement gave his constituents his advice on scoring the OBAMA administration's efforts on gay and lesbian issues-wait until 2017 before making any judgement.

"I've written that we have actually covered a good deal of ground so far. But I'm not going to trot out those advances right now because I have something more relevant to say: It's not January 19, 2017.
That matters for two reasons: first, the accomplishments that we've seen thus far are not the Obama Administration's record. They are the Administration's record so far. If you ask "is that all" my question to you is "is that all you think we're going to push for?" It isn't.
More importantly: today, and for the next seven years and three months, Barack Obama is the most powerful person in the world, with the largest bully pulpit, and the most power to effect change. To do the work, we have to work with our supporters in Congress and with the Administration. Whatever you think of the Administration's first nine months, you don't pass laws by sitting out. You pass laws by sitting at the table."
The timing of the pronouncement, coming on the eve of the President's big gay speech implied not so much that the HRC was at the table, but rather they sold the house, in exchange for a speech where OBAMA said all the right things, hit all the right buttons.
On hate crimes, the President noted the Matthew Shepard Act "was set to pass, and I will sign it into law." Ten years later, it still isn't law.
OBAMA noted he was "pushing hard" to pass ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. That law has been kicking around for some 30 years in various forms.
"I will not waiver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its forms." We've heard that before from this President and others.
The President said he was "rescinding discrimination based on HIV status" in immigration, saying "that's already underway." That is news if it's true. He could have done this his first day in office.
"I'm moving ahead on repealing 'Don't Ask Don't Tell" OBAMA told the HRC audience. "I will end 'Don't Ask Don't Tell', that's my commitment to you." Again, he's already said that. What would be news is when.
"I've called on congress to repeal DOMA and pass DPBA, the Domestic Partners Benefits Act." That sounds an awful lot like a two-tiered approach to asme-sex marriage, which we all know the President did not support when campaigning for the job.
In essence, he was preaching to the choir. He had said all of these things before, perhaps never in one neat laundry list. But any optimism and hope were diminished by the now apparent timeline and the resulting lack of urgency for these matters.
We got reaction from ANDREW SULLIVAN, former editor of THE NEW REPUBLIC and blogger at THE DAILY DISH, on the HRC position.
"I am incensed and infuriated, and I think Solmonese should resign, as soon as possible. I'm not tolerating this. None of us should tolerate this, anymore. It's one thing to understand that we need to have a mainstream civil rights group that can negotiate with the administration, as well as a grass roots movement that can yell and scream. I understand we all have different roles to play. But when the role of the establishment is to betray the rest of us for their own access and black tie dinners, and coffee klatches at the White House, then the rest of us have to stand up and say no more."
SULLIVAN was in the shadow of the White House, as the sun set, on the Ellipse, at the Equality To End Aids Rally and Vigil, attended by some 300 people. "It seems that gay men are more interested in getting a glimpse of LADY GAGA than remembering more than 300,000 people who died only recently," a saddened SULLIVAN said.

On the eve of the NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH, Congressman BARNEY FRANK, one of only 3 openly serving representatives in the Congress and clearly the most powerful as the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, has slammed the event, calling it "useless." Tuesday, on the MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE radio show, FRANK told listeners, "I literally don't understand how this will do anything. People are kidding themselves. I don't want people patting themselves on the back for doing something that is useless. BARRACK OBAMA does not need the pressure."

Perhaps FRANK knows something we don't, but OBAMA has not been bending over backward to even speak a word to any of these issues. The House voted for a hate crimes bill on Thursday, 281-146, but it is attached to a defense bill that President OBAMA may veto, for budgetary reasons, that is, if it passes the Senate and gets through conciliation.

The House has taken up hearings on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", but President OBAMA is silent, saying only he will repeal the policy "when it is time."

President OBAMA has agreed to speak at the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN Annual Dinner Saturday night, but would he have done so without the pressure of the march, which will pass Sunday right by the White House?

We tried to get an interview with FRANK, as well as Representatives BALDWIN and POLIS, newly elected from Colorado, but got no response. None of the 3 will so much as show their faces at the March. We were able to talk with Congresswoman ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, 11-term Republican from Miami, and a first-term Democrat, CHERRIE PINGREE, from Maine, who were not shy about telling us discrimination based on sexual orientation was wrong, and should be ended. But few other members of the House or Senate were willing to go on camera on the issue.

Senate Majority leader HARRY REID in a letter to the steering committee organizing the event, said,

"As you prepare to come to Washington, DC, for the National Equality March, I write to join in your commitment to ensure equality under the law. As Senate Majority Leader, I will continue to work tirelessly to pass the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act and the Employee Non-Discrimination Act, as well as to repeal the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. I will also continue to advocate for funding of HIV/AIDS prevention treatment research and housing programs.

I believe that every American should be treated equally under the law regardless of religion, sexual orientation, gender, race or other forms if identity. I see your struggle for equality as part of a larger movement for peace and social justice."

Senator REID was unavailable for an on camera interview.

It sure doesn't seem like this town is working overtime correcting civil rights abuses against LGBT people, so why would Congressman FRANK call the march useless.

Particularly when this time around, the march is more a grand grassroots political organizing event.

At a news conference today, co-chair ROBIN McGEHEE introduced a panel of community leaders, from the GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE, HRC THE TREVOR PROJECT among others, who will oversee numerous training sessions over the weekend, all aimed at educating and organizing community action leaders to go back into their districts and begin the hard work of political action, and overhaul, if necessary, of our useless leaders, who don't seem to understand that gays and lesbians are entitled to full civil rights across the board.

And it might take marching, and sitting in, and stopping traffic in the streets, and organizing youth, and reminding our politicians that we are still here, and we still are not equal.

That is anything but useless.

It is almost inconceivable that THE WIZARD OF OZ, the classic and unforgettable fable, starring a 16-year old JUDY GARLAND, is 70 years old. But the fact is, it was released in 1939, the same year as GONE WITH THE WIND, the film to which it lost Best Picture. It is argued that 1939 was Hollywwod's best year ever, even to date, with STAGECOACH, GOODBYE MR. CHIPS, DARK VICTORY, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON and WUTHERING HEIGHTS all competing for Oscar.

THE WIZARD OF OZ took home 2 statuettes that year, for Best Score and Best Song, the indelable, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". But the film would only grow in stature from there, to the timeless, irreplacable cornerstone in American entertainment that it still is today, even after 70 years! What child didn't grow up on the fantasy and the "science fiction"? What adult still doesn't tune in annually, whether with a new generation that has yet to see the film, or alone, to relive the magic and the wonder of true Hollywood entertainment?

Warner Brothers has just released a compilation Blu-ray version of the film, with popping color, and innumerable features, to bring THE WIZARD OF OZ smack dab into the digital age. Included in the 70th Anniversary Edition are many, all-new, and exclusive features, like:

A Wizard of Oz Sing-Along Track;

A feature length documentary on director VICTOR FLEMING;

A featurette on the Munchkins, including footage from their induction into the Walk of Fame in 2007;

A 52-page hardcover book including behind the scenes photos, studio memos, script pages and musical sheets;

Reproductions of archival material, like the original 1939 Oz campaign book, including full color advertisment reproductions, press sheets and a replica of the original movie budget;

The complete 1914 release of THE MAGIC CLOAK OF OZ, a silent film;

THE PATCHWORK GIRL OF OZ, another 1914 silent film, both by writer L. FRANK BAUM;

An exclusive WIZARD OF OZ watch;

and unbelievably restored footage, rematered for Blu-ray and Dolby Digital 5.1.

You simply won't believe this film is 70 years old!

The commemorative edition contains nearly 4 hours of never before available footage and bonus features, and comesw in a numbered collectible green package. It is available for a limited time, and makes a fantastic holiday gift. Look for it today, but act fast. It won't be around very long.

click to see clips

Pet Shop Boys the dynamic English Duo ,who had their first number one hit in 1986, performed a total of twenty two songs on September 24th at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The concert pulled out an unusual mix of crowds , from young gay guys with tight jeans to middle aged married couples to trannies. The synthpop duo are just as daring and dashing as they ever were.

A half-hour is hardly enough time to mine the boundless comic ore in ABC's MODERN FAMILY, which debuted last Wednesday night at 9pm. Cleverly weaving three strands of an extended family, headed by MARRIED WITH CHILDREN'S ED O'NEIL as the dirty old man recently married to eternal bombshell, and delectably young despite her age of 37, SOPHIA VERGARA, with his offspring and their families, MODERN FAMILY explores the intricacies of traditional child rearing, with TY BURRELL and an hysterical JULIE BOWEN and their quirky kids, alongside a more recent phenomenon-an adopted Vietnamese child-with gay parents, played by JESSE TYLER FURGUSON and ERIC STONESTREET. The possibilities are endless, as is the way life goes for families of all elk.

VERGARA is mesmerizing, as usual. Her accent, not as thick here as in other sitcom appearances for the Columbian sexpot (THE KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY, HOT PROPERTIES), still presents opportunities for madcap hilarity. Her son, from a previous relationship, played by RICO RODRIGUEZ is even funnier. When you get real laughs from the 11-year old in the cast, you've really got something. And he's not the only kid who's funny. They all are, and should have time to shine in this family "drama."

The gay couple present moments of squirming discomfort, no doubt experienced by many, if not all American families, but rarely explored, especially in primetime television, by DISNEY owned ABC. Again, the possibilities! In the pilot, the men deliver great laughs in a gag on an airplane, where their sensitivity to possible discrimination causes them to over react, not unlike KELSEY GRAMMER's foibles as FRASIER. I'm not saying FRASIER was gay, but if it talks like a gay, and walks like a gay...

But that's another sitcom, from another time. Or is it? CHRISTOPHER LLOYD is co-creator, producer and writer of this show, and his stellar resume includes producer credits for FRASIER, BACK TO YOU and OUT OF PRACTICE, (with star TY BURRELL), as well as writing credits for FRASIER, WINGS and GOLDEN GIRLS, to mention a few. You do the math. This show has tremendous potential. The other producer isn't half bad, either. STEVEN LEVITAN also wrote for BACK TO YOU, STACKED, the funny but short-lived PAM ANDERSON sitcom, and JUST SHOOT ME, among others.

MODERN FAMILY drew nearly 13 million viewers in its opening night bow, beating out much-publicized, GLEE, in the same spot from 9-9:30, which drew less than 7 million viewers. CRIMINAL MINDS beat them both, at 15 million viewers, but who needs more serial killing. Kill 'em with laughs.

With all the vitriol about gay marriage, and gay adoption, and gay whatever else, perhaps MODERN FAMILY will demonstrate, through solid comic entertainment, that traditional family values just might include all of us, gay, straight, old, young, and everything in between. If only they had more than 30 minutes to do so.

Stay tuned...

The OUTGAMES in Copenhagen had the joy and celebration of their global event disrupted over the past week, with 2 hate crime incidents interrupting the festivities.

On Friday evening, after returning from the Opening Ceremonies, 3 gay men were attacked by 2 men ages 28 and 33, who were said to have yelled "homo pigs" at the men, before attacking them. All 3 were taken to hospital and released with minor injuries. The assailants, who are said to have had prior criminal records, and were reportedly under the influence of alcohol, or drugs, or both, are in custody, and expected to remain in custody throughout the duration of the games which run through August 2nd in and around Copenhagen.

Then, on Tuesday, at a track and field event, 3 bombs, or fireworks, were exploded on the track as the competition was underway. One athlete, from Seattle, was injured and treated at the scene.

Police arrested a man thought to have shot the explosives from a Roman candle device from a church across from the stadium.

"We are deeply saddened that this should occur during an otherwise excellent event, and moved on behalf of the injured athlete", World Outgames Director, Uffe Elbaek said. "I am, however, relieved that the incident was not more serious and I am very satisfied by our cooperation with the police during the incident.

All events were going forward according to schedule.

The Federation of Gay Games, which will hold it's global athletic competition in next year in Cologne, Germany issued this statement:

"Copenhagen has a reputation as one of the most LGBT friendly places on earth. Even there, we are reminded that our community still faces those that would deny us our basic human rights, even the freedom to run in a track meet in safety. But we will not be discouraged; rather, we will run, swim, jump, throw, grapple, volley and perform at events like the Gay Games and OutGames, celebrating our right to love who we want.”

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S comeback has been getting rave reviews from those very special VIP's who were lucky enough to attend listening parties recently held in London, New York and Los Angeles. You can be your own judge, as the recovering Diva has made the title track, written by R. KELLY, " I Look To You" available on her site, whitneyhouston.com. If you are willing to trade your email information you can even download it.

After hearing it, it might be true that her voice is strong again, but the new release, now due on August 31 to qualify for Grammy consideration, will need more punch if it is to revive that HOUSTON aura. This tune is a little weak. Perhaps the remixes will punch it up.

Another song on the new album is apparently available online, leaked by some authorized source. Hmmmm.

At the Los Angeles debut, held at the Beverly Hilton, WHITNEY herself, made a dramatic appearance, at the end of the event. She didn't sing, but looked well, as she posed with her relentless protector, CLIVE DAVIS, and STEVEI WONDER.

If "I Look to You" doesn't fulfill expectations, it'll only be 2 weeks or so before MARIAH CAREY'S new release, "Obsessed" hits the airwaves. Now isn't that just the bitch fight we've been waiting to see.

Welcome back Divas all.