Tag Archives: Gary

Gary Floyd, then and now

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Gary Lynn Floyd killed a few birds with one stone last night. First, he helped celebrate the Interfaith Peace Chapel’s one-year anniversary. Second, he shot footage for his upcoming reality series slot on Troubadour, TX. Most importantly, though, he reminded us all why we love listening to him sing.

His concert Sunday night, which also served as a release party for his new CD Then+Now, featured Gary on piano, voice miked, singing solo: Songs from his long career, some from his days in Christian music (including his only No. 1 hit as a songwriter), moving up to his current output. He joked that people may still detect a bit of the church in his voice; ain’t that the truth. Listening to Gary is sort of like your own private sermon — he seemed to be connecting directly with me as he sang. (Of course, I was sitting behind his mother, so maybe he was just singing to her.)  But I bet all of the 80 or so attendees felt that same connection. That’s what good singing is all about.

—  Arnold Wayne Jones

Cazwell headlines a full day of Razzle Dazzle today

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Bedazzled

Once you recover from last night’s MetroBall, then you have a full day of Razzle Dazzle with today’s street festival. The day starts with the Sidewalk Sale and Fair where merchants once again offer discounts on your shopping excursions. The cool part will be the vintage auto show.About 50 autos from Classic Chassis Car Club will be parked along Cedar Springs Road until 4 p.m.

The night picks up when the Street Festival gets underway featuring live performances by Cheer Dallas, The Bright, Uptown Players, Chaz Marie, the Gary Floyd Trio and more. DJs Mickey Briggs and Tim Pfleuger provide dance music all night. All that will be highlighted by the return of Cazwell on the mainstage. And there is still all the goings-on in the bars and Midway of carnival games, a mechanical bull and an obstacle course. This could be like gay Wipeout.

DEETS: Cedar Springs Road and Throckmorton Streets. Sidewalk sale 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Street Festival 7 p.m.–1 a.m. Free. RazzleDazzleDallas.com.

—  Rich Lopez

Quote Of The Day – Gary Cass

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“The Southern Poverty Law Center has utterly discredited themselves by this provocative attack on organizations that promote traditional family values. Labeling mainstream conservative organizations as ‘Hate groups’ is defamatory and is simply an intimidation tactic. We call on Congress to cut off their funding. Defend Christians.Org will work to form a coalition of organizations to lobby Congress to withhold funds from SPLC. We will also demand Congress restrict Federal law enforcement from relying on the biased SPLC reports. The SPLC has been reduced to a far left propaganda organization that uses hype and hysteria to enrich a few liberal attorneys at taxpayer expense and has long out lived its usefulness.” – Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, which was already on the hate groups list.

Does anybody know how much federal money the SPLC actually gets? Their Wikipedia page doesn’t appear to mention such a thing.

UPDATE: Thought so! Readers point out the the SPLC does NOT get any government funding. Good luck with that call to Congress, dumbass. You can let Mr. Cass know of his error: 954-551-9770.

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Joe. My. God.

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Gary Randall’s Pitiful PAC

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Tomorrow is election day, so it’s time to size up the political effectiveness of Washington’s favorite meddling Oregonian, Gary Randall.  Randall is the anti-family theocrat who joined forces last year with Larry Stickney in the failed attempt to repeal Washington’s comprehensive domestic partnership law via Referendum 71.

Randall has been promoting his Faith and Freedom PAC pretty heavily since October 12th, the day he unveiled his “2010 Candidate Information General Election“, his Washington voter guide.

Faith and Freedom PAC has targeted 5 races that we feel can be won and will significantly improve the Legislative posture toward our core values in the upcoming session. We may add to that list over the next week. While we intend to support all the candidates we have endorsed, this is our focus.

We are asking for your donation to specifically assist us in helping these candidates win.

The specific candidates he listed were these virulently anti-gay people

* John Ahern House District 6, position 2

* Michele Strobel House District 14, position 1

* Jason Hearn House District 22 , position 1

* Steve O’Ban House District 28 position 1

* Dr. Art Coday House District 32, position 1

Did the Faith & Freedom troops rally to Gary Randall’s call?  Not according to the Public Disclosure Commission.  In 2010, Faith & Freedom PAC has received a paltry 6 in donations from 15 donors.  Only 0 of that has come in since Randall’s October 12th call to action.

And what of the support promised to Randall’s star candidates?  Faith & Freedom PAC did start the year with ,062.41 cash on hand left over from the 2009 Referendum 71 campaign.  Of the almost ,650 spent so far in 2010, ,845 (over 75%) was transferred to Randall’s Faith and Freedom Network for “website mgmt”.  About 0 has been spent on compliance consulting fees and other minor expenses.  Only 0 (8%) of Randall’s Faith & Freedom PAC expenditures has been used to actually support candidates; In July, the PAC donated 0 each to legislative candidates John Ahern, Michele Strobel and Matt Shea.  Nothing for poor Jason Hearn, Steve O’Ban or Dr. Art Coday.

I’m not saying Randall’s star anti-gay candidates can’t win.  They will win if enough of Washington’s fair-minded majority don’t vote.  But it would be despite Gary Randall and his pitiful PAC.
Presumably this means that Randall can’t carry out the big plans he hubristically reported to the Wall Street Journal in July:

In Bellevue, Wash., the Faith and Freedom Network plans to hire activists for about an hour next month to promote statewide candidates with Judeo-Christian values for the fall elections, says Gary Randall, the group’s president. Recruits will knock on doors and will be dispatched in large groups, hoping to draw media attention, he says.

Randall corrected the WJS in a July 19th blog post stating

The Wall Street Journal was correct, except that our campaign they referenced will be launched after the primary and will involve youth from various churches in selected areas. …Details on this aspect of our efforts will be forthcoming after the primary election.

Never heard another word about it, but that’s not surprising since Randall clearly no longer has support in Washington.  Without money to buy the motivation of church youth, Randall’s program is as defunct as Russell Johnson’s theocratic Youth Revolution.
Pam’s House Blend – Front Page

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Gary Bauer at the Values Voter Summit compares 2010 elections to overthrowing 9/11 hijackers

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I don’t understand how Gary Bauer can bleat over-the-top crap like this and think he’s going to appeal to the mainstream. This garbage not only exploits 9/11, it’s batsh*t insane. Amanda Terkel at HuffPo:

At Friday’s conservative Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., speakers like Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Delaware GOP Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) urged attendees to turn out and vote in November in order to elect more conservatives to office. But the most extreme call came from onetime presidential candidate Gary Bauer, now the president of the right-wing group American Values, who equated the importance of turning out in November to defeating the 9/11 hijackers:

BAUER: From the cell phone calls that were made and the tapes that we have [from 9/11], we know that those passengers went to the back of the plane. Being good Americans, they started a debate. “Well,” some of them said, “we need to get back to our seats. We can’t do anything about this. You don’t fight hijackers. The plane will land. And then there will be negotiations. We’ll get out of here.” Other people said, “No, no, the country is under attack. We’ve got to fight.” And you know what they did? Nobody won the debate! So somebody said, “Let’s vote.”

That’s what we’re going to do in 45 days, right? We’re going to vote. If you get up that morning and you’re tired, you’re sick, it’s raining — remember these Americans on the plane. They voted to fight back. So they made weapons with whatever they can — leftover utensils from breakfast. The flight attendant was still alive; she boiled the water for the coffee. That was going to be her weapon. They took the drink cart, used it as a battering ram. They ran down the aisle of that plane, throwing the water, fighting as hard as they could, into the teeth of men armed with box cutters!

They brought that plane down. They spared this country more pain, more sorrow, more deaths. God bless them! Don’t forget them!

Pam’s House Blend – Front Page

—  John Wright

First Look: Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow Duet ‘Shame’

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Shame

The video is set for release early tomorrow morning. It's reportedly Brokeback Mountain-themed.

A rather unrevealing still from it, AFTER THE JUMP…

2_shame


Towleroad News #gay

—  John Wright

Washington Supreme Court bans Gary Randall’s judicial pick from the bench

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It is Primary season in Washington state, which means the retired homophobic televangelist “of questionable ethics” Gary Randall is again endorsing judicial candidates for his neighboring state of Washington.  No surprise he’s endorsed the two-fer pack of homophobes for the Supreme Court; he has a habit of identifying the dregs and foisting them on too-trusting Washingtonians.  

Gary Randall’s judicial recommendation: Convicted felon Michael Hecht

Take for example one Michael Hecht, Randall’s 2008 judicial recommendation for Pierce County (WA) Superior Court.  Of Judge Hecht the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct recently said he brought “great dishonor” to the state courts.  Then they censured him and recommended to the Supreme Court that he be barred from ever serving as a judge in Washington again.  It is a severe penalty, but after all Hecht was found guilty of felony harassment and patronizing a prostitute.

A Pierce County jury found him guilty of threatening to kill a man who claimed he sold sex to Hecht and of buying sex from another young man.

Just the kind of judge you’re likely to end up with if you vote for candidates recommended by a preacher from another state.

In an uncanny happenstance of timing, the Washington State Supreme Court has just announced that they have permanently barred Hecht from the bench.  It’s almost as if the Lord were trying to send Randall a message.  Can you hear the clarion call, Pastor Randall?  ”And why recommend thou the felonious scum to thy brother’s court, but considerest not the same for thine own court?”

I can’t wait to see who else Randall endorses this election.  But I do hope we’re in for a less disturbing disappointment this year.  Maybe a stealth graffiti artist or doorknob thief.  Please Pastor Randall, no more bilious homophobes or murderous felons.  It makes us doubt your direct line to God.

Related:

* Judicial Commission censures Gary Randall’s Pierce County judicial pick

* Gary Randall’s judicial pick convicted of felony

* Oregonian Gary Randall’s History of Manipulating Washington State Voters
Pam’s House Blend – Front Page

—  John Wright

Dallas could elect 1st gay judge

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Judicial candidates John Loza, Tonya Parker among 4 LGBTs running in local races in 2010

By John Wright | News Editor wright@dallasvoice.com
IN THE RUNNING | Dallas County District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons, clockwise from top left, County Judge Jim Foster, attorney Tonya Parker and former Councilman John Loza are LGBT candidates who plan to run in Dallas County elections in 2010. The filing period ends Jan. 4.

Dallas County has had its share of openly gay elected officials, from Sheriff Lupe Valdez to District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons to County Judge Jim Foster.
But while Foster, who chairs the Commissioners Court, is called a “judge,” he’s not a member of the judiciary, to which the county’s voters have never elected an out LGBT person.

Two Democrats running in 2010 — John Loza and Tonya Parker — are hoping to change that.

“This is the first election cycle that I can remember where we’ve had openly gay candidates for the judiciary,” said Loza, a former Dallas City Councilman who’s been involved in local LGBT politics for decades. “It’s probably long overdue, to be honest with you.”

Dallas County’s Jerry Birdwell became the first openly gay judge in Texas when he was appointed by Gov. Ann Richards in 1992. But after coming under attack for his sexual orientation by the local Republican Party, Birdwell, a Democrat, lost his bid for re-election later that year.

Also in the November 1992 election, Democrat Barbara Rosenberg defeated anti-gay Republican Judge Jack Hampton.

But Rosenberg, who’s a lesbian, wasn’t out at the time and didn’t run as an openly LGBT candidate.

Loza, who’s been practicing criminal law in Dallas for the last 20 years, is running for the County Criminal Court No. 5 seat. Incumbent Tom Fuller is retiring. Loza said he expects to face three other Democrats in the March primary, meaning a runoff is likely. In addition to groups like Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, he said he’ll seek an endorsement from the Washington, D.C.-based Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which provides financial backing to LGBT candidates nationwide.

Parker, who’s running for the 116th Civil District Court seat, declined to be interviewed for this story. Incumbent Bruce Priddy isn’t expected to seek re-election, and Parker appears to be the favorite for the Democratic nomination.

If she wins in November, Parker would become the first LGBT African-American elected official in Dallas County.

Loza and Parker are among four known local LGBT candidates in 2010.
They join fellow Democrats Fitzsimmons and Foster, who are each seeking a second four-year term.

While Foster is vulnerable and faces two strong challengers in the primary, Fitzsimmons is extremely popular and said he’s confident he’ll be re-elected.

“I think pretty much everybody knows that the District Clerk’s Office is probably the best-run office in Dallas County government,” Fitzsimmons said. “I think this county is a Democratic County, and I think I’ve proved myself to be an outstanding county administrator, and I think the people will see that.”

Randall Terrell, political director for Equality Texas, said this week he wasn’t aware of any openly LGBT candidates who’ve filed to run in state races in 2010.

Although Texas made headlines recently for electing the nation’s first gay big-city mayor, the state remains one of 20 that lack an out legislator.

Denis Dison, a spokesman for the Victory Fund, said he’s hoping Annise Parker’s victory in Houston last week will inspire more qualified LGBT people to run for office.

“It gives other people permission really to think of themselves as leaders,” Dison said.

The filing period for March primaries ends Jan. 4.


This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 18, 2009.

—  admin