A Spike In Readers From A Faraway Place

Для всех моих русских хакеров. Добро пожаловать. Чем я могу тебе помочь?

To all my Russian hackers. Welcome. How may I help you?

I Miss Keith Olbermann...How Pence Could Lead A Bloodless Coup...The 25th. Amendment

Kate McKinnon As Hillary Clinton Opens SNL And Sings Mounfully Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah

I saw this first thing this morning. It was beautiful and moving. The link was on number of the morning web sites I wake up to including a version of Cohen's "Hallelujah" by K.D. Lang on Bill Lidsey's blog Billgrimage.

Bill Lidsey's Blog Billgrimage

Then I had to leave for the sacred mysteries. When I got back home I was moved enough to post here the Saturday Night Live version. The message from Kate McKinnon/Hillary Clinton at the end is one I will try to take to heart.

Yeah,"Win This One For The Groper" or who...

This is what Donald's supporters do...This was something sent to the blog Gay Catholic Priests. The message was not on my car, but I understand. I't could have been.

I posted earlier at this wonderful site...

In every way Trump is not my president. The anger has switched sides. Tonight I am riding that anger.

Dump Trucks At Trump Tower For Donald Trump Dump

Well, maybe this is sort of appropriate.

From Joe.My. God.

 Link To Joe.My. God.

Hillary Clinton And The Jesuit/Ignatian Concept,Magis-The More The Better

Today there was a diary published on Daily Kos by Kascade Kat highlighting the Jesuit/Ignatian Concept of Magis - The More The Better. The diarist articulates his own faith as shaped by Magis and how Hillary closed her talk at the Al Smith Dinner by reminding her guests that Tim Kaine, a Catholic, was educated by Jesuits and how both of them have talked about Magis. I have embedded Hillary's talk from the other night at the Al Smith Dinner. You can watch the whole video. It is about 19 minutes long. Hillary begins the serious part of her remarks at 14:45 and talks about Magis in the closing minute and a half beginning about 17:40.

I have included a few quotes from Kascade Kat's diary here. The whole diary and the comments are worth the read.

"[Magis]"comes from the Jesuit motto “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam” — For the Greater Glory of God — and it describes the criteria a person should use when discerning among different alternatives, so that their actions will be for the greater glory of God." 

"To fulfill the Magis, we need both charity and the pursuit of social justice to truly love our neighbor as ourselves."

"So when Clinton talks about reaching for the Magis within her campaign, when she uses the very word that defines this progressive Catholic’s own striving to live the Gospel, it’s clear to me that she respects the role my faith has played in making me who I am, and who I want to become."

Here is the link to Kascade Kat's diary.

Kascade Kat's Diary--"The Magis - or a Lesson from Hilary Clinton in How to Talk to People of Faith Last Night"

The full video of Hillary Clinton's remarks at the Al Smith Dinner is below. I watched Hillary the other night. Perhaps it was the late hour, and I felt Hillary was good even though a few jokes fell flat. Today watching it once again, I am very impressed with Hillary Clinton and her faith.

Trump Goes To Confession...To Cardinal Dolan

Not much here, but...follow the story. It's all about optics on both sides, Trump and Dolan. This campaign and the catholic church represented by Dolan are a mess.

Trump and Malania Leaving St. Patricks...ny daily news

Followup On You Got Trump Trouble...

It's LGBTQIA month.

This is a follow up on You Got Trump Trouble by Randy Rainbow.

Here's Rainbow's take on the 1st. debate. An Accurate Update On The First Debate By Randy Rainbow

You Got Trump Trouble

It's Friday Night Cheers and Jeers.

For a little relief from the GOP, the Gloomy Ole Party, this was the lead from C&J's tonight; and I wanted to share this from Bill in Portland Maine's post at Daily Kos for the Friday Night friendly version of Cheers and Jeers.

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/7/22/1550505/-Cheers-and-Jeers-Rum-and-Coke-FRIDAY

Here is the lead video...

We Got Trouble

Cincinnati Pride 2016

At Pride 2016 in Cincinnati there were lots of tributes to Orlando and those who died in the Pulse Gay Bar.

The first difference I noticed were two fully armed Cincinnati police officers in riot gear at Fountain Square. They were in the background, but when the parade began they moved up very close to the parade route. They seemed to be carrying AK-15 assault rifles, but I am not a gun expert.

The Grand Marshall of this year's parade was the mayor of a small enclave near Cincinnati called Golf Manor. The mayor's name is Ron Hirth. He was elected last November and is Ohio's first openly gay mayor according to Equality Ohio.

Ron Hirth, Mayor of Golf Manor

There were politicians and politicians running for office. I found that helpful if I can remember them when November comes. Cincinnati's first openly gay council member, Chris Seelbach, appeared early in the parade.

Chris Seelbach, Cincinnati City Councilman

There was a large group of Hillary supporters and also a very large group marching with Procter&Gamble whose world headquarters is in Cincinnati. P&G has been very supportive of the GLBTQ community. Procter & Gamble also supported the equality movement for marriage. They had a large group and they carried signs with photographs of the victims of the Orlando massacre.

It was hot and I finally moved on to a favorite spot for a little lunch. I wore a gay themed necklace, a silver triangle hung with hoops of rainbow colors. I ate alone. My waitress was Molly and friendly asking questions as she appeared and then moved on. At one point she said that she liked my necklace. I told her a friend gave it to me many years ago. Finally, it was time to go and pay. On the receipt, Molly wrote with a hand drawn heart introducing her remarks; "Love knows no labels." I guess I was not totally alone.

My Memorial To Those Who Died At Pulse Night Club In Orlando

Corner of Halsted and Roscoe 2010

This is from my handwritten journal entry dated November 14, 1986. The place is Halsted Street in Chicago and the bar was called Christopher Street in 1986. Now the bar is called Hydrate. I was 43 years old then. I also call it middlescence. Sometimes it takes that long to really own who you are.

I post this to honor the lives of those lost in the attack on the Pulse Night Club in Orlando. I want to honor their courage, their search, their youth, and their openness. I also post this because catholic leaders have been negligent in recognizing that this was an attack on GLBTQ persons. It was also an attack on a place where gay men could find themselves.

I continue to remember in a private and personal way those lives lost in this horrific attack on a place of safety for gay and lesbian people and their friends.

Here is my verbatim journal entry, November 14, 1986.

Last night I walked through the door I had been standing in front of for the past week or so. I walked through it into a gay bar. It took me two hours to get up the courage to do that.

My reactions. I found a place at the bar with a bit of space around me, pulled a stool over and sat down. Shortly a man came by, put his arms around me at the shoulders from the back and I thought; “gee that was quick.” I realized I was sitting in an over the counter entrance to the back of the bar. I sat for about two hours there. I tried to observe what the protocols were. Most fellows were there with a friend. I was alone which has been part of the story. I tried to catch a couple of guys eyes but got no response. There were already a few fellows who already had too much to drink. Most were young and very good looking. They didn’t look frightened. They didn’t look particularly maladjusted. One small and very young fellow came in stood against the wall and soon was drawn into a conversation. There was something, I’m sure going on in the other part of the building. Conversation was slow for me. I think I might have been sitting next to two priests. They were a little over dressed. They never seemed to invite an opening to talking.

The US Bishops Fire Tony Spence

This is what I like to do to idiot church leaders when they make political and not pastoral decisions.

It's Done...New Vatican Ambassador To The US...Archbishop Christophe Pierre From Mexico

From The Vatican Insider On The New US Vatican Abassador

Vatican Ambassador Involved With Arrainging The Meeting Of Kim Davis With Pope Francis In September...Replaced

Some interesting news on a slow afternoon after the second super Tuesday. It's reported that Pope Francis is replacing the Vatican's nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, with the present nuncio from Mexico who is a native of France, Archbishop Christophe Pierre. According to an article in America Archbishop Christophe Pierre is an experienced diplomat. He has been the Vatican's representative in Mexico for the last nine years.

There are two sources for the story at the moment. A blogger, Aximill, at Daily Kos posted this diary "Pope fires Vatican ambassador to the U.S. over Kim Davis." The headline might be a little exaggerated, but there is interesting information in the anonymous source the diarist uses suggesting the new nuncio because of his experience in Mexico could focus on immigration issues. That could be very interesting, given candidate Trump's desire to build a wall between the US and Mexico

Link to Aximill's diary at Daily Kos

The Daily Kos blogger, Aximill, documents Vigano's behind the scenes invitation to Kim Davis to meet Pope Francis during his fall visit to the United States. The blogger also notes Vigano's staunch opposition to marriage equality.

A second source this afternoon for the story is America magazine.

Intermountain Catholic

This picture shows the new Vatican nuncio to the US  looking at a border fence in Tijuana, Mexico in 2008.  Archbishop Christophe Pierre is at the left. The other prelate is Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City.

The Link to the America story