Second Class Citizen: “I Want to Know What It’s Like”

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Jacob Flores

The clip above is from Ryan James Yezak, a film maker in California. The clip is titled “I Want to Know What It’s Like” and it addresses the plight of those who are bullied and/or discriminated on because of prejudice. It’s a moving video, narrated by actors speaking in poetic verse. The purpose of the video is to raise funds to shoot his film Second Class Citizen. The film is a documentary and according to Yezak, it will:

…encompass all areas in which we are discriminated against. The general population is not aware that discrimination against the gay community goes beyond marriage & bullying. There is far too much hate directed towards our community and I want to capture that hate on camera. In addition, I want to explore where this hate comes from, why it continues to exist, and what we must do to get rid of it. A better solution is needed because the solution we have right now isn’t working fast enough.

I hope you enjoyed the clip as much as I did, and I can’t wait to see the documentary.

New Alien Prequel “Prometheus” Clip: Peter Weyland

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Jacob Flores

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUxdAWrsag8

The above clip is a released scene from the new Alien Prequel “Prometheus.” Click here for previous posts and here for the trailer.

In the clip, Guy Pearce who plays Peter Weyland discusses his vision of the future. The clip obviously sets up Weyland as the bad guy, but if you’re a fan of Alien mythos you already knew that from his last name. Weyland-Yutani was the company Ripley worked for in the original Alien and the one she combated in subsequent movies.

I can’t wait for the movie’s release in June.

President Obama Talks Values

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Jacob Flores

President Obama talks to unions about the auto industry, and in his discussion, talks about what values really are. This is the president I voted for. I’m glad to see him back.

Democrats for Santorum

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jacob Flores

I found this video and had to share. Second City Network released a comedy sketch ad campaign urging Democrats to vote for Santorum in open primary states.

While I think Obama would trounce Santorum if Santorum did somehow get the Republican presidential nomination, I still don’t know if what this video proposes is a good idea. I want Santorum as far from The White House as possible.

The video made me chuckle though.

(video via Joemygod)

Oprah and the Oscars: Jimmy Kimmel Live

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jacob Flores

I’m a huge Jimmy Kimmel fan, and if you missed his after-the-Oscars show last night, chances are you missed these two funny bits.

First up is Jimmy’s last sketch with Oprah. He is pitching some ideas for Oprah’s network, some of which I would definitely watch. I think a Book Club Fight Club and Dr. Vajayjay would be a hoot!

The second is a star-studdent movie premiere for Kimmel’s Movie: The Movie, which tackles all the movie genres in one film.

Enjoy!

20 Years Ago: “Wayne’s World” #1 in Box Office

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Jacob Flores

It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago, “Wayne’s World” hit the box office and became the #1 movie for its weekend release. That weekend alone, the movie grossed over $11 million. I just had to share the “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene, as it’s one of my favorites and a favorite of my college fraternity brothers at the time.

Marriage Equality Bill Advances in Maryland

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Jacob Flores

Earlier today, a marriage equality bill passed by a vote of 7-4 in the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, as reported by ThinkProgress. The measure now heads to the Senate floor, where it is expected to pass. Governor Martin O’Malley has promised to sign the bill into law if it makes it to his desk. This brings us yet another potential victory for marriage equality in the nation.

Santorum: Obama is a “Phony” Christian

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Jacob Flores

Just when I think Rick Santorum can’t possibly seem any more like scum and any less like a viable presidential candidate, he opens his mouth and spews even more vitriol and idiocy.

According to ABC News, at a recent speaking engagement to a Tea Party group in Pennsylvania, Santorum had this to say about President Obama:

The ‘president’s agenda’ is ‘not about you… It’s not about your quality of life. It’s not about your job…It’s about some phony ideal, some phony theology…Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology, but no less a theology.’”

Obviously, Santorum is trying to garner votes through false information and fear. Obama is a Christian, and even if he wasn’t, would it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Nowhere in the Constitution does it state that the President must be a Christian. Our country has no national religion and “claims” to believe in the separation of the Church and the State. Therefore, the President’s religion shouldn’t be a factor, yet it always seems to be!

And Santorum knows how to play to that. He calls his opposition un-Christian and, by proxy, anti-American. Do we really want someone like this to even have a shot at the presidency?

Of course, representatives from Santorum’s camp understand how counter-productive his statement was and are now attempting damage control as you can see in the following statement:

‘The President says he’s a Christian and Rick believes that and has even said so publicly many times,’ National Communications Director Hogan Gidley said in a statement. ‘Rick was talking about the President’s belief in the secular theology of government — and how believing that theology is dangerous because government theology teaches that it’s perfectly fine (to) take away our individual God-given rights and freedoms. Our founders wrote the Constitution to protect our individual rights and freedoms, but it’s clear that President Obama believes the government should control your life. Rick Santorum believes in the Constitution and will always fight to protect our freedoms.’”

What I learn from this is that Santorum (and his camp) doesn’t want the government to run our lives; they want religious government, which would be what Santorum would bring to The White House, to run our lives.

That isn’t the nation our forefathers wanted. They had first-hand knowledge of the fate of the people when religion and government ruled as one. Do we really want that? Santorum does.

Marriage Equality: Where Are We At?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Jacob Flores

There has been a lot of movement in marriage equality recently that I felt it best to wrangle all the information together in one post.

We already know that marriage equality currently exists in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Iowa, and Washington D.C. Here’s where we stand in other states.

Washington State

Most recently, Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire signed a marriage equality bill just last week. The law will go into effect on June 7 if signatures for a voter referendum aren’t received by June 6. Marriage equality opponents are quickly exploring all their options in order to prevent homosexual couples from marrying in their state.

I see this as a tentative victory. If the voter referendum fails, then marriage equality will be good for Washington State.

New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed the marriage equality bill, which was passed by both state houses, on Friday. Gov. Christie’s conditional veto included “the creation of a strong Ombudsman for Civil Unions to carry on New Jersey’s strong tradition of tolerance and fairness. The Ombudsman will be charged with increasing awareness of the law regarding civil unions, will provide a clear point of contact for those who have questions or concerns and will be required to report any evidence of the law being violated,” as reported by ThinkProgress.

This is an epic failure for Gov. Christie. Even though the people support marriage equality, Christie allowed his personal beliefs to cloud his responsibility to the people he serves.

Maryland

The Maryland House of Representatives passed a marriage equality bill on Friday. The measure heads to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and if it passes there, it will head to the full assembly.

This has the potential to be another victory for marriage equality.

California

With the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to uphold Judge Walker’s ruling that declared Proposition 8 unconstitutional, marriage equality has the potential to return to the state after the Supreme Court of the United States decides to hear the case or not.

In my opinion, this is a victory-in-waiting. I firmly believe that if the SCotUS hears the case, they will decide marriage inequality as unconstitutional. After all, it has been the SCotUS that has brought civil rights to the land.

Illinois

A marriage equality bill titled the Religious Freedom and Marriage Freedom Act was introduced earlier this month. The success of the measure isn’t known even though it has the support of the governor.

I still see this as a success even though the outcome is unknown. With gubernatorial support, marriage equality in Illinois has potential.

Rhode Island

Last year, Rhode Island allowed civil unions for same-sex couples, but advocates in the state are calling for marriage equality, and a bill will “definitely” be introduced during this legislative session.

To me, this is another victory.

Overall, that’s a lot of progress in a relatively short span of time. Within the next year or two, we could have marriage equality in over 10 states, especially when you can recall Massachusetts being the first and only state where gay marriage was ever legal.

The New Homeless: Gay Kids Put Out Like Trash

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Jacob Flores

As a parent, I find it difficult to believe that any parent could toss their child out of their home for any reason. But, unfortunately, that is what is happening to many gay youths who come out to their parents.

ThinkProgress reports that “There are approximately 1.6 million to 2.8 million homeless young people in the United States and a disproportionate number — 20 to 40 percent — are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender [and that] LGBT youth often run away from home because of family conflict.”

CBS4, a Miami news affiliate, did a story about the problem in their city.

Here’s the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz1Msg551X0

Based on the video, many parents who discard their children like “trash” also tell them that they “wish they were dead.” These are most likely the same groups of people who claim homosexuals are threatening traditional family values. I know of no gay parent who has ever discarded their child for being different. In fact, most gay parents, who adopt, take in children who have been cast off by their heterosexual parents.

Children, no matter what, deserve their parents’ unconditional love and support. To offer anything less is unacceptable, irresponsible, and pathetic.