I just got a google alert about a new blog post that is appalling. Marye Audet at MarriageActually.com is speaking out against gay marriage — and she’s doing it by picking on Dallas gays.
She talks about how she used to live here in the ‘70s and had lots of gay friends and even went to Plantation, what she calls the “1977 Mecca for the gay community.”
But then it turns ugly and she writes: “I went to many, MANY Dallas parties at addresses on streets like Herschel and Oak Lawn. I have seen gay relationships up close. They may be a lot of things…but they are neither marriages, nor are they gay (happy, joyful, fun).”
I encourage all of you to comment on her blog and let Marye know just how wrong she is.

I recently blew off a few rounds at the DFW Gun Range & Training Center, where last year, I interviewed Lt. Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon, pictured) of “Reno 911.”

I also picked up a copy of the gun range newsletter and noticed that they had family memberships. Two weeks ago, I called to see if they recognized same-sex partners as family members. A friendly employee named Juan said that customers have asked about it and that manager Joe Elledge was going to address it at the next company meeting. Employee Juan also said that the Pink Pistol Club of Central Texas recently enjoyed the DFW Gun Range facilities, and that the family memberships ($215 regular, $385 premium) for gay couples looked promising — especially if they could prove that the partners lived at the same address. Without family memberships, gay partners would each have to pay $165 regular, $325 premium.

Anyway, today, I called back to hear the verdict.

Elledge confirmed that they met to discuss the definition of family memberships, and Elledge said they decided not to recognize same-sex partners as family members.

If y’all care, here’s the president’s e-mail address: president@dfwgun.com

And here is the number for DFW Gun Range and Training Center, 214-630-4866.

Campus Pride is going to host three college fairs for LGBT friendly schools to recruit students. Big shocker — not a single Texas school will be in attendance. After all Dallas’s own SMU made the list of most homophobic schools. So did A&M and Baylor. Learn more about the fairs after the jump. (more…)

Baltimore police have charged two members of the Bloods gang with murdering a fellow gang member because they thought he was gay, according to reports by the Associated Press.

Steven Hollis, 18, and Juan Flythe, 17, allegedly found some text messages on Steven Parrish’s cell phone that made them question Parrish’s sexual orientation. So, police say, Hollis and Flythe stabbed Parrish to death in May. Supposedly, the two suspects were worried that having a gay boy in the gang would make the gang appear weak.

So once again, a stereotype has cost a life. And they say words can never hurt you.

Better than “Dateline.”

All the telltale signs are laid out: the pre-frayed baseball hat worn backwards, Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews albums, Abercrombie, Axe body spray, bros named Chad and the big black dildo.

The Financial Times is reporting that Great Britian’s domestic intelligence agency is actively recruiting gay spies and wants its staff to be more open about their sexuality.

The paper says that Stonewall, a gay lobby group, has been hired to help recruit gays and lesbians into the ranks of the agency, more commonly known as MI5.

The story didn’t say why MI5 is specifically looking to recruit gays, only that it is part of the agency’s efforts to broaden its base to more accurately reflect a more diverse society. It did note, however, that: “The contract marks a significant change in stance by MI5. Gay men and women were barred from working in sensitive posts in the diplomatic or security services until the early 1990s, a quarter of a century after sexual acts between men were decriminalised in 1967.”

I wonder if they would hire an American homo? I have always wanted to be a spy, just so I could wear one of those James Bond tuxedos and get all those cool “toys” he always had in those movies!

See the whole story here.

Lily Tomlin called Robert Wilonsky at the Dallas Observer last week. The lesbian funnywoman is trying to get Jenny the Elephant transfered from the Dallas Zoo into a caring elephant sanctuary. It’s great piece.

Gay Dallas City Plan Commissioner Neil Emmons says that if Ross Avenue isn’t renamed after labor leader Cesar Chavez, the Dallas North Tollway should be, according to The Dallas’ Morning News’ City Hall blog. Emmons argues that the tollway goes through the heart of Dallas’ Little Mexico and that its construction forced the early Hispanic community to relocate. He also says that as more toll roads are built, they will need recognizable names so people can differentiate between them. I guess my only initial thoughts about this are that the tollway is primarily used by rich white people from North Dallas, and that Chavez likely never would have supported the idea of an elitist toll road. What do you think?

UPDATE: WFAA-TV sure seems to think this is a big deal. Here’s their noontime report on Emmons’ proposal.

I think Let California Ring has done a great job with their new commercial promoting gay marriage. The shocking part, they don’t even mention Prop. 8. But it gets the point across, loud and clear. BTW- could she be more pissed when climbing through those cars?

I gave up on Michael Stipe so many albums ago, but if there was ever a reason to give R.E.M. another chance, it’s now. The band’s 2008 loud-fast-rock album, “Accelerate,” makes up for boring, introspective and ambient disc they’ve made since “Green.”

The band just added an Oct. 24 gig at Nokia in Grand Prairie you can buy tickets on Tuesday. General public ticket sales begin Aug. 22.