Around the Burgosphere

PittGirl says goodbye to blogging making it safe once more to look for love (and other stuff)on craigslist.

Sue has been selected to participate in the LGBT Blogger and Citizens Journalist Initiative in DC (CONGRATS!).

Bram gives much thought to Pittsburgh's Ethics Board.

Progress Pittsburgh reminds us that the p2 pac is hosting a Happy Hour TONIGHT at Max’s Allegheny Tavern, 537 Suismon Street, Pittsburgh

and

They inform us that for a mere $500 you can attend a fundraiser with Bill Clinton for Lil Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (I guess all those snubs of Obama were worth it for Lukey).

Gab tells us how those bloggers still left in the Burgh can get into a free showing of the Players Production Company's Pittsburgh premiere of David Lindsey-Abaire’s Wonder of the World.

Finally:

Normally I'd think that it would take some chutzpah for a Spork to make fun of a cookie cutter, but not in this case.

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Scenes From Today's Pittsburgh Prop. 8 Protest in Oakland

Report, photos and video by Joy Sabl:

About 350 people at the start; about 450 by the time we returned to the starting point after walking through Oakland. Compared to other PGH area rallies, this was the best behaved (stopping for traffic lights) youngest and most upbeat, despite the downer of CA's prop 8 passing. And the only one that got so much bigger with people joining in as we went by.

Big crowd!


Great sign:


More great signs:




Sue at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents has more.
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NOV 15th: Pittsburgh Prop. 8 Protest

Protests against the shameful passing of Proposition 8 have sprung up all over California and now there's a grassroots effort to have a national day of protest.

People from all over the nation will gather to protest at their City Halls on Saturday, November 15th.

Pittsburgh's location is:

City-County Building
414 Grant Street, #911
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Schenley Plaza (pending permit for rally)
The Plaza is in the Pittsburgh borough of Oakland,
about 4 miles east of downtown Pittsburgh.
It is situated between the Carnegie Museums
and Library and the University of Pittsburgh
Hillman Library. The address is 4100 Forbes Avenue.

Saturday, November 15, 1:30 PM

The website organizing the protest is http://jointheimpact.com and the direct link to protest locations is here.

.... BE THERE! ....
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California's top court overturns gay marriage ban

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

The California Supreme Court struck a historic but possibly short-lived blow for gay rights Thursday, overturning a state law that allowed only opposite-sex couples to marry.

In a 4-3 ruling that elicited passionate responses on both sides of the debate and touched off celebrations at San Francisco City Hall - the scene of nearly 4,000 same-sex weddings four years ago that were invalidated months later - the court said the right to marry in California extends equally to all, gay and straight alike.

Additional Story:
Tears of joy as same-sex marriage advocates get the word

PA Senate Tables Anti Gay Amendment

From the Post-Gazette:

HARRISBURG -- A bill that would amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage is in a deep coma and is probably dead, at least for the rest of this session.

Faced with staunch opposition to the measure in the Democrat-controlled House, the main sponsor, Sen. Michael Brubaker, R-Lancaster, asked the Senate last evening to table the bill indefinitely, and it agreed.

Sue has more on this.

Kudos to all who called their senators on this and a hat tip to Fumo for rubbing their noses in the "protection" excuse.

MAKE THAT CALL!

From Equality Advocates Pennsylvania:

SB 1250, the anti-family constitutional amendment was voted out of the the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 5 and a full Senate vote can occur as soon as May 6. We need your help NOW!

Please call your state Senator and Representative on Tuesday and ask them to oppose SB 1250. To find out the name of your state legislators and their contact information, visit our Legislator Locater -- just enter your address, then click on the "state" tab above the legislators' pictures.

Please visit our website for updated information.

Thank you to everyone who attended today's rally! There were approximately 400 people who opposed the legislation in the Capitol rotunda. Senators Connie Williams, Jim Ferlo and Vince Fumo spoke against the bill, as well as Representatives Babette Josephs, Dan Frankel and Mike O'Brien. Senator Wayne Fontana and Representatives Steve Nickol, David Steil, Kathy Manderino and Mike Gerber were also in attendence.

Other speakers included members of the Value All Families Coalition: Stacey Sobel of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania; Karen Buck of the SeniorLAW Center; Rev. Paul Fullmer, Chaplain, Lebanon Valley Community College; Diane Topakian, SEIU; and Andy Hoover of the ACLU of Pennsylvania.

Legislators, staffers and citizens heard and saw the rally. In fact, legislators said that they could hear the chants of "STOP THIS BILL" on the House floor.

Thank you to everyone who has called, written and visited your state legislators -- it truly makes a difference!

Much more on this issue can be found at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents including a list of local Senators:

Jay Costa: Harrisburg (717) 787-7683, Pittsburgh (412) 241-6690
Sean Logan: Harrisburg (717) 787-5580, Pittsburgh (412) 664-5200
Wayne Fontana: Harrisburg (717) 787-5300, Pittsburgh (412) 344-2551
John Pippy: Harrisburg (717) 787-5839, Pittsburgh (412) 262-2260
Jim Ferlo: Harrisburg (717) 787-6123, Pittsburgh (412) 621-3006
Jane Orie: Harrisburg (717) 787-6538, Pittsburgh (412) 630-9466 j
J. Barry Stout: Harrisburg (717) 787-1463, Pittsburgh (724) 225-5400 b
Gerald Lavelle: Harrisburg (717) 787-3076, Pittsburgh (724) 654-1444
Mary Jo White: Harrisburg (717) 787-9684, Pittsburgh (814) 432-4345
Donald C.White: Harrisburg (717) 787-8724, Pittsburgh (724) 357-0151
Robert D. Robbins: Harrisburg (717) 787-1322, Pittsburgh (724) 588-1323
Bob Regola: Harrisburg (717) 787-6063, Pittsburgh (724) 600-7002
Richard Kasunic: Harrisburg (717) 787-7175, Pittsburgh (724) 626-1611

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"Queer As Folk" Cast at Hillary Pgh Headquarters

File this under: You never know who will turn up at Hillary Clinton's Pittsburgh Campaign Headquarters

Cast members from the hit Showtime series "Queer As Folk" (which was set in Pittsburgh) were at Hillary headquarters in Pittsburgh on Sunday. They had been all over town this weekend stumping for Hillary.



Michelle Clunie ("Mel"), Robert Gant ("Ben")
and Friend of 2pj Zuri Hodge


Sharon Gless ("Debbie")
Local LGBT groups Steel City Stonewall and the Gertrude Stein Club have both endorsed Hillary as has the Burghosphere's own Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents:

Here's what it comes down to for me. On "the issues," they are pretty close. By that I mean, their stances on ENDA, DADT, civil unions, marriage, etc. On paper, they "appear" very similar.

In action, they are nothing alike. Barack Obama has refused to interview with local gay media anywhere. Period. He gave one interview to the national gay magazine, The Advocate. How can one national interview, late in the primary season, build a relationship with the gay community? He made a speech imploring the African-American religious community to embrace gay civil rights. This after he brought notorious "ex-gay" Donnie McClurkin on board his swing through the south gospel tour or whatever it was called. He clearly has no problem affiliating with a movement that denounces homosexuality as something to be cured, a stance that taps right into the self-loathing so rampant among closeted minorities and youth.

[snip]

Hillary Clinton marches in Pride parades. Her daughter visits gay bars. She worked to stop the national "marriage protection" amendment. She lifts up the gay people in her life, particularly those who touched her family personally. Hillary grants interviews to local gay media. She reaches out with intent to build relationships with our community. She has a LGBT steering committee in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

Speaking of The Advocate interview, Barack said the following:

Somebody else who influenced me, I actually had a professor at Occidental -- now, this is embarrassing because I might screw up his last name -- Lawrence Golden, I think it was. He was a wonderful guy. He was the first openly gay professor that I had ever come in contact with, or openly gay person of authority that I had come in contact with. And he was just a terrific guy. He wasn’t proselytizing all the time, but just his comfort in his own skin and the friendship we developed helped to educate me on a number of these issues. (emp. mine)

Proselytizing!?!

Way to stereotype gays!

************************************************************************************
If you'd like to volunteer for Hillary today or tomorrow:
Pittsburgh for Hillary HQ
213 Smithfield Street (2nd Floor)
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412-232-0151
Pittsburgh@hillaryclinton.com
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EVENTS

April 8, 2008

Drinking Liberally Pittsburgh
WHAT: Drinking Liberally Pittsburgh
WHEN: Tuesday, April 8, 2008, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Buffalo Blues, 216 S Highland Ave (Shadyside)

Drinking Liberally is a great organization that exists across the nation. A happy hour that is open for anyone that wants to get together and talk politics. Mostly from the liberal point of view. More info @ http://drinkingliberally.org/locations.html#pa


April 9, 2008

ACORN Protest Against Sen. Specter's Vote Against Families Facing Foreclosure
WHAT: ACORN Protest Against Sen. Specter's Vote Against Families Facing Foreclosure
WHEN: Wednesday, April 9th, 2:00
WHERE: 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1450, Regional Enterprise Tower (old Alcoa Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

"ACORN members, upset by Senator Specter's vote last week to kill a provision that could help 600,000 families facing foreclosure save their homes, plan to protest his Pittsburgh office. The Durbin amendment, which was offered to the Foreclosure Prevention Act, would have allowed bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of the mortgages of primary residences to achieve an affordable monthly payment when mortgage servicers refuse to or are unable to make such modifications....In 2007, Pennsylvania saw 34,089 foreclosures filings, a number which continues into 2008, averaging 77 foreclosures filed every day."


April 10, 2008

Public Hearing on Senate Bill 1250
WHAT: Tell Pennsylvania Senate Members to vote NO on Senate Bill 1250
WHEN: Thursday, April 10th, 2:00 pm
WHERE: Allegheny County Courthouse, Gold Room 437 Grant St., Downtown Pittsburgh, Corner of Grant and Forbes

"Please come to the public hearing in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 10th and tell Pennsylvania Senate Members to vote NO on Senate Bill 1250. Senate Bill 1250 is a Constitutional Amendment which would ban gay marriage AND civil unions in Pennsylvania. On Thursday, April 10th there will be a public hearing in Pittsburgh to discuss the impact this amendment would have on the Commonwealth. In past hearings, supporters of this discriminatory bill have been extremely active and vocal. It is crucial that we outnumber them this time around. We urgently need people to come to the hearing so senators know that people from the Pittsburgh area don't want our General Assembly to legislate hate." Call (412) 681-7736 for more information.

League's Cocktail Hour With Our New State Director
WHAT: Meet-and-greet for Liz Rincon, PA League's New State Director
WHEN: Thursday, April 10th, 5pm - 8pm
WHERE: DejaVu Lounge, 2106 Penn Avenue (the Strip District), Pittsburgh, PA

"Chat with our new State Director, Liz Rincon, and the politically minded and active in our area at our informal cocktail hour this Thursday, April 10th -- Enjoy the drink specials and free appetizers provided by our hosts at the DejaVu Lounge." RSVP here


April 12, 2008

PUSH (PA United for Singlepayer Healthcare) General Meeting
WHAT: PUSH General Meeting
WHEN: Saturdau, April 12, 2008, 10 – 12 a.m.
WHERE: Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Ave.(Squirrel Hill), Pittsburgh PA

"Health care for all NOW! Make it happen: Get Active! AGENDA: Reports: March 19th Legislative Hearing on SB300/HB1660. FUTURE ACTIONS: Bird dogging the candidates , Uninsured Trail of Tears & other actions, Leafleting/Tabling at events, Pittsburgh hearing, Lobbying" For more info: PUSHforhealthcare@gmail.com


April 14, 2008

"Should the Mon-Fayette Expressway Be Completed?" Public Debate
WHAT: "Should the Mon-Fayette Expressway Be Completed?" Public Debate
WHEN: Monday, April 14, 2008, 6-7:30
WHERE: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium (Oakland) Pittsburgh PA

Speakers will include Shawn Fox, Allegheny County executive chief of staff; Andrea Boykowycz, PennFuture outreach coordinator, and Pitt student debaters Colin Esgro and Richard Pittman. A webcast of the debate may be viewed at http://mediasite.cidde.pitt.edu/ starting at 6pm on April 14 (select "William Pitt Debating Union" in the catalog window). For more info, 412-624-2887 or red20@pitt.edu


April 15, 2008

Sierra Club Tax Day Rally for HR 5351
WHAT: Sierra Club Tax Day Rally for HR 5351
WHEN: Monday, April 15, 2008, 4:30 PM
WHERE: Squirrel Hill Post Office, Murray Avenue (Squirrel Hill), Pittsburgh PA

"WIND NOT WINDFALLS - End the Giveaways to BIG OIL. Oil and gas companies are making record profits and receiving generous taxpayer subsides, while we're paying record highs for gas. Senators McCain, Clinton, Obama and Specter will have the opportunity to vote on redirecting subsidies from oil companies to incentives for job-creating renewable energy. It's time for the senators to move forward and vote for clean energy, not Big Oil. We are asking them to vote yes on HR 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008. Help us get the message out." To sign up contact Justin at justin.wasser@sierraclub.org or call 412-802-6161

Hillary House Party
WHAT: Hillary House Party
WHEN: Tuesday, April 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Roselle Private Home, 2525 Collins Road,Pittsburgh 15235 (Blackridge)

"Join us for a celebration of the candidacy of Senator Hillary Clinton. Learn more about her positions and know that she is the strongest candidate to win the Pennsylvania primary and in November. She has the experience to make a difference: economy heading for recession, women’s wages 2/3 that of men, millions without health insurance, unemployment highest in over 2 years, $158 million spent each month on fuel alone to maintain the Iraq conflict. Now is the time to step forward because Senator Clinton will make the changes we desperately need! We will also honor Jeanne Clark and the late Tim Sullivan, longtime NOW activists and Hillary Clinton supporters." RSVP by April 13, 412-731-7490 or roselle25@verizon.net


April 18, 2008

SEAD 2008 GOTV Rally
WHAT: South End Active Democrats 2008 GOTV Rally
WHEN: Friday, April 18, 2008, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
WHERE: Resurrection Church Hall, 1100 Creedmore Avenue in Brookline, 15226

For $7 you get free food, beer/wine/pop, a DJ and a chance to meet the Democratic candidates. People from all over the county attend, not just South Enders.


April 22, 2008

Sierra Club "Election Day Adopt a Poll"
WHAT: Sierra Club "Election Day Adopt a Poll"
WHEN: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (All Day)
WHERE: All over Pittsburgh

"Collect petition signatures at polling places telling Senators to take Big Oils' tax breaks away. We are asking them to vote yes on HR 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008." To sign up contact Randy Francisco at randy.francisco@sierraclub.org or call 412-802-6161


April 25, 2008

Equal Pay Rally
WHAT: Equal Pay Rally
WHEN: Friday, April 25, 2008, Noon
WHERE: Market Square, Pittsburgh PA

Save the date! Brought to you by the Women & Girls' Foundation of SW PA. More details later.
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Pittsburgh Hearing on Constitutional Amendment (SB 1250) Thursday

Courtesy of Steel City Stonewall Dems ... Please try to attend.

Value All Families - Keep Discrimination out of Our State Constitution!

Please come to the public hearing in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 10th and tell Pennsylvania Senate Members to vote NO on Senate Bill 1250.

Senate Bill 1250 is a Constitutional Amendment which would ban gay marriage AND civil unions in Pennsylvania. On Thursday, April 10th there will be a public hearing in Pittsburgh to discuss the impact this amendment would have on the Commonwealth. In past hearings, supporters of this discriminatory bill have been extremely active and vocal. It is crucial that we outnumber them this time around. We urgently need people to come to the hearing so senators know that people from the Pittsburgh area don't want our General Assembly to legislate hate.

Date and time: Thursday, April 10th, 2:00 pm

Location: Allegheny County Courthouse, Gold Room 437 Grant St., Downtown Pittsburgh, Corner of Grant and Forbes

*** We will have lapel stickers at the hearing. Please be sure to pick one up to show your opposition to the marriage amendment***

Call (412) 681-7736 for more information.

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Maria's "Blog for Equality Day" Post

The subject of the "equality" of this day is an attempt to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman as part of a "Marriage Protection Amendment."

First, let's throw out any straw man arguments: we are talking about the legal institution of marriage. We are not speaking about any particular religion's take on the subject -- they are free to define marriage exactly as they want.

What we are talking about is a legal contract between two adults. A contract that, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, confers over 1,000 protections and benefits to couples who enter into it. A contract that is currently only available to heterosexual couples. This despite the fact that there are already thousands of families in Pennsylvania headed by gays and that society has determined that encouraging stabile, monogamous relationships is healthy for children in these and all families.

Moreover, this proposed amendment could possibly remove existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children and would prohibit civil unions by heterosexual couples.

So, what exactly is being "protected" here?

No one has ever been able to adequately explain how allowing gays to marry weakens hetero marriages.

The only thing that this amendment does is "protect" gays from having the same rights, benefits, privileges and protections as heteros and "protect" children with gay parents from having the same security that children have whose parents are straight.

It "protects" and enshrines inequality and therefore must be protested.

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania asks that you do the following to register your disagreement with this amendment:

Click HERE to e-mail your State Senator!

Click HERE for more information on setting up a meeting with your Senator!

Email Jake at jkaskey@equalitypa.org to help out!

It's a good start.
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Save the Date!

On March 31st, many in the Burghosphere will be Blogging for Equality -- specifically, we'll be blogging against attempts to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

If you want to join in, see Sue's post here.

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Luke as farce

According to Sue at Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, Lil Mayor Luke Ravenstahl must be worried about the gay vote because:

It would seem that Luke's people realized what a huge gaffe he made last week by saying he does not favor civil unions. Thus, he has scheduled a meeting with representatives from the Steel City Stonewall Democrats at 2:30 PM Monday. To clarify.

Apparently, Luke has stated that he doesn't know what a civil union is.

The Mayor of Pittsburgh -- a Democrat under the age of 40 -- does not know what a civil union is.

That is so blissfully ridiculous that there's simply no need for further comment.

As I commented at her blog the day before:

by Maria in Pgh on Fri 02 Nov 2007 02:28 PM EDT Profile Permanent Link
I heard that Lukey stonewalled the Stonewall Dems -- promising to get back to them with answers to their questionnaire and never delivering.

Small wonder since his real answers on such a questionnaire would have "outed" him before he got whatever cash he could grab.

Someone else commented there that "Luke blew off the Steel City Stonewall Democrats reception Saturday afternoon in Shadyside with Barney Frank."

This reminds me ever so much of his position on contraceptives:

1)Try to remain as neutral and uncontroversial as possible in public.

2) But, whisper to the bubbas in private that he's doing the "right" Catholic thing.

3) Then flail around and lie when outed.

What a nice, principled, young man!

Once again, it behooves us to mention that Ravenstahl -- who is always claiming that he stands for Democratic Party principles -- is extremely anti choice and anti gay, while his Republican challenger, Mark DeSantis is pro choice and pro gay.
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The Problem With Bill

Tucker Carlson (MSNBC) called the performance "cringe-worthy."

Alison Stewart (MSNBC) said it was "cringe-tastic."

Jonathan Capehart (Washington Post) said it was like, "...watching someone drown in the shallow end of the pool and than refuse a life preserver." He added, "I watched that big guy shrink in his chair as he answered the questions."

The audience groaned.

I was cringing and groaning at my TV set at home.

I'm talking about Governor (and Presidential hopeful) Bill Richardson's performance on LOGO TV 's Visible Vote ‘08 Presidential Forum Thursday evening.

First, some background. If you're not familiar with LOGO, it's a LGBT oriented cable channel and this was billed as the first Presidential forum on gay issues. Each candidate who agreed to appear got 15 minutes on their own from a panel of questioners which included the aforementioned Jonathan Capehart, journalist Margaret Carlson, singer/activist Melissa Etheridge and the Human Rights Campaign's Joe Solmonese. The candidates appeared in the following order: Barack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, Bill Richardson and Hillary Clinton (Dodd and Biden had scheduling problems). Naturally, no Republicans agreed to appear in a separate forum.

So what was so wrong with Richardson's performance?

In a word: everything.

Let me state up front that while I don't have a favorite candidate yet, I really liked Bill Richardson and have stated that on this blog before. I also kept saying back in 2004 that Kerry should have picked him for his running mate.

Here's a sample of Richardson's sorry performance:

MS. ETHERIDGE: Thank you. Do you think homosexuality is a choice, or is it biological?

GOV. RICHARDSON: It's a choice. It's --

MS. ETHERIDGE: I don't know if you
understand the question. (Soft laughter.) Do you think I -- a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade we go, "Ooh, I want to be gay"?

GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, I -- I'm not a scientist. It's -- you know, I don't see
this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as people as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know I don't like to categorize people. I don't like to, like, answer definitions like that that, you know, perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don't understand.

It's not just that the content is bad, it's like he wasn't even prepared for the question -- at an LGBT forum! After the broadcast, he released a statement saying, "I do not believe that sexual orientation or gender identity happen by choice." Then he repeated that he wasn't a scientist.

[sigh]

But it didn't stop there.

While he said he was for civil unions because that was achievable and he's a guy who gets things done, when Joe Solmonese asked him if he would sign a gay marriage bill if it was presented to him by the New Mexico legislature, he just wouldn't answer the question directly no matter how many times it was put to him.

And then they brought up something that I hadn't heard before. Bill Richardson had used the word "maricón" on the Imus show. For those of you, who unlike me, haven't lived in NYC for 15 years that word is Spanish for "faggot."

GayNewsWatch.com describes the Imus incident:

Almost exactly one year before Imus was to lose his show for using a slur to describe the Rutger’s women’s basketball team, the shock jock used the Spanish word “maricón” in an on-air exchange with Richardson.

“Bernard on the staff here has been claiming you’re not really Hispanic so-- that you're just claiming that for some sort of advantage or something,” Imus said to Richardson, tongue clearly in cheek. “You can just answer this yes or no and this will answer that question. Would you agree that Bernard is a maricón?”

Without missing a beat, Richardson replied in Spanish, “Yo creo que Bernardo, sí — es un maricón si él piensa que yo no soy hispano. [General laughter] Was that good enough or what? [General laughter]”

“That’s good enough for me,” Imus replied.

Most gay Latinos interviewed for this story agreed with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation that the word “maricón” means “faggot” in Spanish. So, translated to English, Richardson had replied: "I believe that Bernard, yes – he’s a faggot if he thinks that I am not Hispanic."

By the time Richardson left the forum stage, my support for him had entirely shriveled up and gone the way of the wind.

[sigh]

You can see Bill R opine on "choice" here (it's about two and a half minutes in):


You can read Pam of Pam's House Blend's wrap up here (she does have a link to good things that Richardson has done for the LGBT Community) and Sue of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents weighs in here.

You can also view clips of the entire forum at LOGO's website here and the forum will be rebroadcast Monday at 7:00 PM ET.
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