I got an e-mail just a few minutes ago, letting me know that Concerned Women for America is rallying the troops and will join with “over 50 pastors” in staging a “Free Speech Rally for Sally” on Wednesday, April 2, at noon in the Rotunda of the Oklahoma State Building in Oklahoma City.

(Just a side note: I find it interesting that all the e-mails I get from the Concerned Women for America come from a man — Matt Barber, CWA’s “policy director for cultural issues.”)

This rally, of course, is to support Okla. State Rep. Sally Kern, who has come under fire in recent weeks after a speech she made to a group of Republican supporters was secretly taped and posted on YouTube.com. In that speech, Rep. Kern compared LGBT people to cancer and said we are a bigger threat to the U.S. than terrorism and Islam. The gay activists, of course, responded quickly and have staged at least two large protests in Oklahoma City.

Now the right-wingers are coming to Sally’s aid. Here’s what Matt Barber’s e-mail said, in part:

On Wednesday, April 2, Concerned Women for America (CWA) will join over 50 pastors in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to rally support for State Representative Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City) and her right to free speech. Recently, Rep. Kern has been under attack from radical homosexual activists and their followers over remarks she made regarding the homosexual agenda. Rep. Kern took a Biblical stand against homosexual activism and has refused to back down from her statements despite receiving death threats.

CWA applauds Rep. Kern for continuing to be steadfast and resolute in this fight against the homosexual agenda and for shedding light on the threat it poses to our nation. Rep. Kern has been quoted as saying that the homosexual agenda is dangerous “because it destroys the basic moral fiber of this nation, which is traditional marriage and the traditional family.” She couldn’t be more right.

Matt Barber, CWA’s Policy Director for Cultural Issues, said, “There are certainly those who hate Rep. Kern. They’ve made that perfectly clear with vicious personal attacks and even death threats. But millions of Americans proudly stand alongside Sally Kern and say, ‘Thank you. Thank you for boldly standing your ground and for unapologetically defending Biblical Truth.’ They intended to make an example of her. They have, but not in the way they had hoped. She has set an example for millions of believers around the world. Her courage and refusal to deviate from God’s unequivocal condemnation of sexual immorality is serving to galvanize and embolden others. People say, ‘Well Sally Kern wasn’t intimidated, why should I be?’”

Just thought I’d let you all know what’s going on in OKC. Just in case anybody feels the need to go exercise their free speech rights.

Some of you may have read my story about an anonymous e-mail that was sent out targeting a Collin County commissioner for her support of teen court coordinator Justin Nichols, who’s openly gay.

Now, the Collin County Observer is reporting that another commissioner, Jerry Hoagland, has asked that a review of Nichols’ performance and employment be placed on an upcoming commission agenda. In response, Nichols has written a letter requesting that the review be done in a public hearing as opposed to a private executive session. Also, the online news service Queerty has picked up this story, so it will henceforth be playing out on a national stage. Stay tuned.

Texas wines take their fair share of hits for not being as good as California wines, but that may be changing. At Savor Dallas earlier this month, I tasted some darned fine vino made in the Lone Star State, and I hope to take more today at the Dallas Contemporary at 2801 Swiss Ave., where “Set a Course for Texas Wines” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. There’ll be food to accompany a large selection of regional wines. So eat a lite lunch today and check it out after work.

Chelsea Clinton’s recent visit to Woody’s, one of Philadelphia’s oldest gay bars, sounds similar to her stop at J.R.’s in Dallas.The most obvious difference: The Philadelphia Inquirer, my hometown newspaper, published this story about the event and the overall impact of the gay vote in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary.

In the weeks leading up to Texas’ primary, I saw no mention of the gay vote in Texas in The Dallas Morning News.

Go figure.

Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern met with the folks from Oklahoma City PFLAG on Thursday. According to PFLAG represenatives, Kern didn’t apologize for her now-legendary anti-gay tirade, and they didn’t ask her to. “What we said to her was that we were coming in a spirit of healing and reconciliation and we just wanted to talk and speak heart-to-heart,” a PFLAG rep told The Oklahoman.

Later Thursday, Kern spoke during a College Republicans event at the University of Central Oklahoma.“If I knew it was being recorded, I’d still say the same thing,” Kern told the College Republicans. “I will not back down from what I believe the Bible teaches.”

I don’t know about you, but I have to question why PFLAG is even bothering to meet with this person. In Kern’s tirade, she said gays pose a bigger threat to the U.S. than terrorists. So let me draw a comparison of my own here: An LGBT equality group sitting down to meet with Sally Kern is the equivalent of U.S. ambassadors sitting down for a nice friendly chat with Osama bin Laden. I’m all for changing hearts and minds, but I’m not sure Kern possesses either.

Get a look at the new Logo series of “Sordid Lives.” They shot season one in Shreveport, and they’ve lured a bevy of gaytastic talent: Olivia Newton John, Margaret Cho, Carson Kressley, Tammy Wynette’s daughter and many more.

The trailer went up today. Apparently, it’s coming down soon. So check it while you can.

Caven Enterprises closed Throckmorton Mining Company a few months ago in order to refit the space for an expanded Sue Ellen’s. Just now comes word of the official opening date.

The current Sue Ellen’s on Cedar Springs will close down after the last customer leaves on Sunday, April 13. The club will re-open at its space on Throckmorton Street at 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 17.

Last week, we ran an interview with Yen Tan, director and co-author of the new gay film “Ciao,” which plays this week at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival. We had planned to also interview Alessandro Calza, the co-star and co-author of the film. However, at the last minute, Calza was unable to come to the U.S. (he lives and works in Italy). And unfortunately, by the time Calza responded to some questions we send him via e-mail, the issue had gone to press.

But that’s the glory of the Internet. Click on this link, and you can read lost interview with Alessandro Calza, who will break more than a few hearts when you realize he won’t be in town anytime in the near future. But I’m thinkin’ of heading to Italy. Soon. Sigh. 

For all you Jim Schutze fans out there, the Observer columnist makes a rare foray into gay-related subject matter in this week’s cover story about Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway. Schutze starts out the story talking about Caraway’s campaign against sagging pants. As previously reported in Dallas Voice, Caraway has been criticized for the campaign’s use of a song by Duncanville rapper Dooney Da Priest, “Pull Yo Pants Up,” that contains homophobic lyrics.

Some of the homophobic lyrics were supposed to be edited out of the song, but during a morning show on Channel 8 in February, the original version was played, prompting one of Caraway’s constituents to call and complain.

Here is Schutze’s description of Caraway’s response to the constituent:

“He gives her a complicated but useful explanation of lip-synching, the editing of CDs, confusion about which version was to be played by the engineer at WFAA. In the end, she is mollified.“

I realize the controversy involving the lyrics is not the point of Schutze’s story, which I haven’t even read in its entirety yet. But I gotta say, while Caraway’s response may have worked with the constituent, it sounds to me like a bunch of bullshit.

UPDATE: Finally made it to the end of Schutze’s story. I didn’t read it word for word, but I do feel somewhat vindicated. At the end, Schutze is talking about how on some level, Caraway is genuinely committed to improving his community. And perhaps Jim is referring to the above quote when he calls bullshit in the last paragraph (I knew Schutze wasn’t going to let that slide):

“There definitely is a Dwaine Caraway Show. It’s interesting . It’s complicated. Some of it is total bullshit. But that part was not.”

BusinessWeek ran down its list of the best airports in the world this week. A disproportionate number of top finishers are in Asia, but when it comes stateside, who leads the list? Yup, good ol’ DFW, which is praised for its Southern hospitality, art work and Skylink train, among other amenities. Read all about it here.