News and Views

In my book, Love Tips and Trips for Gay and Lesbian Relationships, I have identified 50 Ways to Keep Your Lover. My post last Friday offered strategies 43-44, this week I am sharing strategies 45-46. Look for more strategies next Friday! Continue reading "50 Ways to Keep Your Lover: # 45-46"...

If you read my blog or the posts I have done on Bilerico so far, you'll note that when I'm describing the African-American GLBT community, I will sometimes use the term 'SGL' or 'SGL community'' What's SGL and what does it mean? I'll tell 'ya after the jump. Continue reading "What's 'SGL' Mean?"... srExecute();

The 7th District Democratic race has grown more crowded with the entry of former state health commissioner Dr. Woody Myers. That makes five candidates for the Democrats despite efforts of the Democrats to anoint the late Rep. Julia Carson's grandson, Andre Carson, as her successor. Some of Carson's opponents, who were already suspicious of the conduct of the January caucus last month which chose Carson by a handful of votes on the first ballot over a number of more qualified candidates, will be asking more questions about the the transfer of funds from Julia Carson's campaign to the state Democratic Party. According to Carson's year-end report, her treasurer transferred a total of $12,000 to the state party in three separate payments on October 1, November 1 and December 1, 2007, respectively. These larger payments were in addition to other payments the campaign committee made to the party to reimburse it for rent and other expenses for the space it shares at the party's headquarters. Take note of the fact that the payments all came after Carson's hospitalization in September, which began her rapid decline before she passed away in December. The committee still had a balance of over $118,000 as of the end of the year. Finally, the Star reports that Carson becomes the first candidate to hit the airwaves with a TV ad. Mary Beth Schneider writes:Democrat Andre Carson's first TV ad in his campaign to succeed his grandmother in Congress is as notable for what it doesn't say as for what it does.Not once in the 30-second spot, which begins airing on Indianapolis TV stations today, does Carson mention former U.S. Rep. Julia Carson.Julia Carson died Dec. 15, and her grandson Andre was selected by Democratic precinct committee members in January as their party's nominee in the March 11 special election.But while the ad doesn't mention the late congresswoman by name, it does stress family."The most important thing I can pass on to my daughter are the values that my family taught me," Carson says in the ad, as the screen shows his 1-year-old daughter, Salimah. "Work hard, fight for what you believe in and help others."And twice in the half-minute ad, Carson mentions bringing "change" to Washington.Not surprisingly, the ad tells us little about Carson. What's he going to say? I got a political patronage job in Center Township Trustee's office right out of high school working for my grandma, She later used her political clout to get me a job as a state excise police officer. After a decade on the public dole, my grandmother's political machine got me appointed to the Indianapolis City-County Council and helped me get a job as a marketing representative for an engineering firm which does a lot of work with the City of Indianapolis and other local governments. And then my grandmother's political friends and Louis Farrakhan announced to everyone at my grandmother's funeral home that I was the chosen one to take her place in Congress. Yeah, that sounds pretty convincing, don't you think?indiana politics gay GLBT law

The IBJ's Peter Schnitzler returns with another in-depth story of how Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer rakes in millions in tax collections each, while delivering only a small percentage of these amounts to needy citizens in the form of poor relief and maintaing huge cash surpluses in excess of an entire year's budget. Schnitzler writes:When the inner city’s neediest residents grow desperate, local government offers them one last resort.At an aging building at 863 Massachusetts Ave., they pass through a metal detector and wait in line to show a clerk their identification and copies of overdue bills.Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer sometimes helps. The Trustee’s Office received an average of $6.9 million each of the last seven years, mostly from taxes, to provide poor relief—now known as township assistance.But only about $2 million reached the penniless each year, with much of the difference covering administrative overhead.Drummer has hoarded the rest as a shield against unspecified future needs.Parked in a series of money market accounts, the surplus at the end of 2007 stood at $7.1 million—more than the office brings in annually to handle poor relief. Since 2001, the reserve has ranged from $4 million to $10.4 million, depending on expenses.That’s an enormous cash cushion, and one the trustee’s office isn’t eager to publicize. IBJ discovered it by poring over public records dating back to 1994. An analysis of the financial records showed that Drummer and his predecessor, the late Julia Carson, built the reserve over the last decade and a half by collecting far more than they spent in a handful of years and banking the remainder . . .In addition to the hefty surplus, Center Township has amassed a $10 million portfolio of underused properties for future redevelopment.The Kernan-Shepard Commission has wisely recommended the elimination of township governments as part of its sweeping recommendations to reform local government in Indiana. Upon being shown the IBJ's analysis of Center Township's finances, State Rep. Phil Hinkle called the situation "absurd" and "unbelievable." You cannot justify in my mind the validity of overcharging the taxpayer consistently,” said Hinkle, ranking Republican member of the House Local Government Committee. “One or two years in a row? OK, I can see it happening. You make adjustments. But you don’t consistently over-bill the taxpayer.” One other key lawmaker, however, has apparently been won over by Drummer. "After a recent tour, Republican state Sen. Jim Merritt of Indianapolis removed township trustees from legislation he introduced to merge local government offices in Marion County," Schnitzer writes. "He called the Center Township Trustee’s Office highly organized, and said he had the impression Drummer is attempting to lower costs." Schnitzler adds, "But Merritt admitted he hasn’t attempted to scrutinize Drummer’s finances." Gee, thanks for nothing Sen. Merritt.The Center Township surplus had exceeded $10.4 million as recently as 2003, but Drummer has now begun to spend it down rather than give it back to the taxpayers who were over-taxed in the first place. Don't dare question Drummer's handling of township finances Schnitzler warns. "Drummer generally has a friendly demeanor. But he becomes irate at the suggestion that reorganizing trustees’ offices would offer more help to the needy," he writes. “We’ve given shirts off of our backs. Literally,” Drummer said. “Coats out of our closets. Literally.” You're real funny Carl, real funny.indiana politics gay GLBT law

Elder Tolton enjoys a three-faceted career serving the gay and lesbian community as a voice for spiritual freedom, social justice and economic empowerment. As a professional man of faith, Tolton is the founder and pastor of Rehoboth Temple Christ Conscious Church in Harlem. His affirming ministry seeks to empower all people with the transformative power of the Gospel and to nurture disciples of Christ in the Pentecostal Apostolic tradition. Continue reading "Black LGBT History Day 9: Elder Joseph W. Tolton"... srExecute();

A native of Brooklyn, Rev. Irene Monroe is a graduate of Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University. She served as a pastor at an African-American church before a Ford Fellowship took her to Harvard Divinity School for a doctorate. Monroe has been profiled in Oprah Winfrey's magazine, O, as well as on CNN's Paula Zahn Now and CNN Headline News. A frequent contributor to The Bilerico Project, she has also written columns for publications such as In Newsweekly, The Witness, Advocate magazine, the Windy City Times, Washington Blade, the Boston Globe, and many more. Monroe' award-winning essay, "Louis Farrakhan's Ministry of Misogyny and Homophobia," was greeted with critical acclaim. Her "Let Your Light Shine Like a Rainbow: 365 Days a Year-Meditations on Bible Prayers" will be out in June 2008. Continue reading "Black LGBT History Day 8: Rev. Irene Monroe "... srExecute();

Mayor Greg Ballard is facing the first ethics test in his 30-day-old administration and is failing it badly. As Advance Indiana was the first to report, Ballard's choice to lead the Capital Improvement Board is a lobbyist for Simon family interests, and his law firm lobbies for the Indiana Pacers. The Star's Brendan O'Shaughnessy, borrowing heavily on my original reporting (without attribution, of course), lands a front-page story questioning the ethical propriety of one of the biggest appointments Ballard will make as mayor. O'Shaughnessy opens his story:Mayor Greg Ballard's choice to lead the Capital Improvement Board heads a law firm that has lobbied for the Indiana Pacers, one of the agency's biggest tenants.The CIB owns Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers.To avoid a conflict of interest in his new role, Barnes & Thornburg managing partner Robert T. Grand has set up an "ethical screen" that includes removing himself from any discussions about the Pacers.He also has promised to bar the firm -- one of the city's biggest, representing various clients with interests in city business -- from working for anyone involved in matters harmful to the CIB and said he would forgo any potential compensation from his firm's involvement with the Pacers.A political watchdog questioned whether those steps would be enough to outweigh the perception of a conflict, while an ethics expert questioned whether it would limit Grand's effectiveness on the board.As I pointed out in my report, the appointment of Grand to the CIB directly clashes with a key element of Ballard's campaign pledge to enact ethics reform if he was elected mayor. That campaign pledge promised to prohibit registered lobbyists or people with a financial interest from serving on any board or commission that directly affects or deals with their lobbying or financial interests. With an "ethics schmethics" style reply, Ballard said of the Grand ethics problem, "Bob said he wouldn't do it if it embarrassed us," Ballard said. "But we want top talent." O'Shaughnessy added, "Ballard also said Grand 'has a reputation for being a clean and ethical guy.'" I would add an editorial comment here that Ballard didn't even know who the hell Grand was until a few months ago when he showed offering to raise a few bucks for his strugging campaign. Grand's response was equally as repulsive as Ballard's. "Why would I turn away this opportunity to serve this mayor and my city because I happen to be registered as a lobbyist?" he asked.To cover up the error in this horrific decision, Ballard and Grand have created what they call an "ethical screen" to give the appearance they are trying to deal with the problem. Because the Indiana Pacers are one of the biggest agenda items coming before the CIB, essentially Grand, as its leaders, will supposedly step back from participating in any decisions involving the Pacers. Under this plan, which I assure will have attorneys all over town laughing as they stand around the water coolers Monday morning discussing it, Grand will do the following to avoid conflicts of interest:

• Notify the CIB any time a client of the firm is involved in "matters with or become adverse to the CIB."
• Abstain from taking part in deliberations or votes on such matters.
• Establish an "ethical screen" that precludes Grand's involvement in matters in which the firm represents the Pacers.
• Bar Grand's access to the firm's files on the Pacers.
• Bar access by firm attorneys to any materials Grand receives in his role as a member of the CIB.
• Deduct from Grand's compensation any share of firm income derived from representing the Pacers.

"I have not ever been involved with anything with respect to the Pacers," Grand said to O'Shaughnessy. "To the degree that there is any involvement of the firm with the Pacers, I won't be involved," he added. In the business world, this would be the equivalent of telling the CEO of General Motors he couldn't participate in any decisions involving the company's entire Chevrolet division. "The CIB and the firm have to weigh if the breadth of (ethical) screens is so great that the person would be limited in what they can do," former state ethics commissioner David Hadley said. Nobody with a straight face can say this ethics screen will work. For God's sakes, Bob Grand is the managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg. The ethics problem has already surfaced. Everyone knows, Mayor Ballard, that Grand made sure you were fully briefed on the financial problems facing the Pacers franchise because of lousy attendance, and that Grand or his law firm arranged for your meeting with the Simons at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday. It's no secret the Simons think they got a raw deal compared to Irsay and think their lease deal with the City should be renegotiated. As O'Shaughnessy reported:The thorniest issue Grand might face is the possibility that the Pacers could seek to renegotiate the team's 20-year lease at the 10-year mark, in 2009.Ballard met with the Simons at Conseco on Thursday. Both sides said the point of the meeting was to get acquainted. Ballard said there was no discussion of a new lease.Speculation that the Pacers will ask for a new lease has been fueled by reports about the team's financial problems.What is incredulous about this move by Ballard is the degree to which he has been willing to abandon the higher moral ground that he had coming into office with "no strings attached" as he told the media in order to advance the self-promoting Grand's status as a leading state and city "power broker." Grand's claim that "lobbying" is a small part of what he does is simply not believable to anyone who knows this man. As to ethics, let's examine this part of O'Shaughnessy's story. "[Grand] said his experience in public finance as an adviser to then-Mayor Stephen Goldsmith in building Conseco Fieldhouse and Victory Field qualified him to serve in the position." So he advised Goldsmith on behalf of city taxpayers on the public financing of Conseco Fieldhouse and then he and his firm turned around and became a lobbyist for Simon interests, including the Indiana Pacers. The only thing you can say about the Conseco Fieldhouse lease with the Simons is that it screwed taxpayers a little less than the Lucas Oil Stadium lease with Irsay.Because Ballard has set out with such reckless abandon to pursue this "business as usual" governance of our city, we must now turn to the City-County Council for help. This appointment of Bob Grand must be rejected by the council. "Council Democrats said they were nonetheless concerned," O'Shaughnessy writes. "After taking considerable heat last year for a series of ethics-related questions about then-council President Monroe Gray's business deals, some said Ballard should be more careful with his appointments." "I go back to perception," said Joanne Sanders, the Democratic minority leader. "I do have some concerns about the appearance of a conflict."As for Ballard, he tells O'Shaughnessy he plans to submit his own ethics reform package later this month, but if it allows for these kinds of appointments, then it isn't worth the paper on which it's written. This is what really insults the good people of this city. Ballard's Corporation Counsel, taking a page out of his predecessor's lack of respect for ethical considerations, said to O'Shaughnessy that "anyone qualified for a position such as one on the CIB is bound to have extensive business connections that create potentials for conflict." You see, in the world in which these people operate the only people "qualified for a position" come from within a small, elitist group who look down upon all of the rest of us. Strangely, until a few months ago, Ballard was one of those people they looked down upon. Now, Greg Ballard has become one of those people looking down at us in the same way.UPDATE: There is a key piece of information missing from O'Shaughnessy's report in today's Star which raises even more concern about this so-called "ethical screen." O'Shaughnessy writes, "Ballard said Grand was the one who raised the question of potential conflicts and offered to draft the letter to avoid them." "He said the city's top attorney, Chris Cotterill, reviewed the letter and approved the appointment," he added. Cotterill is a former employee of Grand's law firm! That's right. Cotterill worked as an associate at the same law firm where Grand serves as managing partner. He practiced at the firm for a short period after graduating from law school before Grand helped him land a job in the administration of Gov. Daniels. This is what happens when the Mayor appoints as the city's chief legal counsel a young political hack with virtually no real legal experience.indiana politics gay GLBT law

Jerame and I ran into Donna Rose yesterday evening at the GM sponsored press reception. Donna greets Bilerico Project readers and breaks her first story at the same time. iPhone users: Click to watch srExecute();

I have been enjoying all of the posts so far about Black History Month. And true to my "militant" nature, I wanted to share a little bit about the numerous slave rebellions that took place during the slavery era. Slave ships were packed very tightly because enslaved Africans were not viewed as people, they were regarded as chattel. The men were chained, but the women weren't. This was because the slave traiders wanted easy access to rape the women. But this also meant that the women were free to move around, steal keys, and help instigate rebellions on the ships. The rebellion on the Amistad is perhaps the most well-known. But Mumia Abu-Jamal celebrates several others in his book We Want Freedom: A Life in the Black Panther Party. Continue reading "Black History Month: Remembering Slave Rebellions"... srExecute();

Jerame and I thought we'd sneak off to Canada and get hitched since we're so close. It's hard to look at Windsor across the river and not want to join in equality. We chose Bruce and Brylo as our best man and bridesmaid. It didn't happen though. We don't have copies of our birth certificates. Rather like civil unions, eh? Close - but no cigar. srExecute();

The Department of Justice has now ended a five year old policy of denying the LGBT employee group, DOJ Pride, the same privileges it offers other minority groups. Justice Department workers had celebrated Pride in the Great Hall of DOJ headquarters every June since the mid 1990s when President Bill Clinton first declared a Gay Pride Month. However, Bush declined throughout his presidency to issue a proclamation for the event, which DOJ heads Ashcroft and Gonzales used as an excuse to ban the pride celebration starting in 2003. The new Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, now has reversed that ban. In a statement to DOJ Pride, Mukasey said that the department will "foster an environment in which diversity is valued, understood and sought." Continue reading "DOJ Allows Gay Pride on Property"... srExecute();

"The development of a child is enhanced by having a mother and father. Such a family is the ideal for the future of the child and for the strength of a nation. I wonder how it is that unelected judges, like some in my state of Massachusetts, are so unaware of this reality, so oblivious to the millennia of recorded history. It is time for the people of America to fortify marriage through constitutional amendment, so that liberal judges cannot continue to attack it!" -- Republican Mitt Romney takes another shot at gay families in a speech announcing the end of his presidential campaign srExecute();

iPhone users: Click to watch video in YouTube App Are Luke and Noah ready to make sexy time? It sure as heck seems so and kudos to As the World Turns if they do so. srExecute();

I hate "The L Word." And yet I watch it every week, ever since I got sucked in during Seasons 1 and 2. Those were the good 'ole days, before they murdered Dana and the fashion, hairstyles, and storylines went to shit. To recap the last four seasons (as well as the first four episodes of Season 5), Jennie is a pyscho, Shane is player, Bette and Tina are on again/off again, Kit's character only exists to make random "black comments," Max gives trans guys a bad name, Alice is still funny, and Dana is still dead. Do I seriously have this on my Tivo list? Last week's episode, however, included a little twist that was actually worth discussing. Alice outs an NBA basketball player on her website and starts a firestorm of controversy. Continue reading "Why I Love/Hate "The L Word""... srExecute();

Did you get stuck in long lines at the polls on Super Tuesday? Or were you stuck in an airport somewhere on your way to the Creating Change Conference? Don't worry. You won't miss a minute of this week's Best of Bilerico, 'cuz I've got your weekly round up to go with your coffee this morning, The VERY BEST post we had this week deserves a special nod: Here's what Hillary Clinton had to say to Bilerico readers. Monday The Gender Anarchist - Waymon Hudson Tuesday Jame's Dobson's McCain Hissy Fit - Alex Blaze (who is my vote for President, BTW) Health Officials Apologize to Gay Community Over MRSA Scare - Waymon Hudson Wednesday Sex Love and Transsexuals - Guest Blogger Monica Helms Gender, Gay Marriage . . . and Galileo - Patricia Nell Warren Thursday Barack Obama: A Transcendent Person of Color - Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore California Supreme Court to Hear Marriage Equality Case - Waymon Hudson Friday The State of the Movement - Matt Foreman srExecute();

In a recent interview with Star political columnist Matt Tully, Democratic 7th District congressional candidate Andre Carson cited ten years of service as a state excise police officer in explaining that he was qualified to serve in the U.S. Congress. A public records request of Carson's personnel file turns up little information upon which we can weigh the experience he gained while working there. Employment records show that Carson began working as an excise police officer on August 24, 1998 and stopped working there in October of last year after nine years of service. His starting annual salary was $18,980, and he was earning $47,648 a year when he resigned his job to take a marketing position with Cripe Engineering. His rank of Officer remained unchanged throughout his tenure.Superintendant Alex Huskey of the Indiana State Excise Police explains that some information is missing from Carson's file because a Marion County grand jury led by former Prosecutor Scott Newman's office seized Carson's personnel file, along with several other state excise police officers, including that of a cousin, Sam Carson, soon after Carson began working as an excise officer. Newman convened the grand jury to investigate allegations of favoritism within the agency, which at the time was run by a former campaign manager of the late U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, Eugene Honeycutt. At the time, Honeycutt was accused of hiring the two Carson grandsons as a favor to Rep. Carson. In 2000, Honeycutt pleaded guility to charges he accepted food, drink and sexual favors from two Indianapolis strip clubs, although he denied ignoring excise violations at the strip club in exchange for the favors. Another excise employee, John Dugan, was also charged with ghost employment. Both Honeycutt and Dugan lost their jobs. Although neither Carson was charged with wrongdoing during the investigation, Huskey says the prosecutor's office retained some of the information removed from Carson's personnel file.To be hired as an excise police officer, a candidate need not have a college degree. As a 22-year-old Carson filled out an application for an excise police officer position on September 8, 1997. Carson was required to attest that he had not been convicted of a felony and had never been a member of or affiliated with a group or organization which advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government by force, violence or other unlawful means. After being hired, he was sworn in as an excise officer on October 16, 1998. Excise police records show that Carson successfully completed basic training at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in 1999. He finished 88th out of 89 students in the class. However, Huskey cautioned not to read too much into Carson's next-to-last place class ranking. He noted that his academic average of 85.3% was statistically close to peers in his class and well above the passing 70% threshold required of academy attendees at the time. Carson eked out a passing grade in criminal law with a 70% score and a 72% score in hazardous materials. His highest score, 96%, came in firearms. Huskey noted that Carson was a squad leader. A graduate of the academy tells me that a person is not always chosen to be a squad leader because the cadet demonstrates leadership ability. According to the academy graduate, who asked to remain anonymous, a squad leader role may be given to a candidate in need of extra leadership attention. Huskey also points out that newly-hired exicse police officers take their training after they are hired. Carson needed only to pass the basic training exam at the academy to remain employed as an excise police officer. How high he scored on the exam was irrelevant to his continued employment. Excise police records also indicate that Carson had an academic ranking of fourth among excise police candidates in his class. Huskey did not know how many candidates against whom Carson had competed.While serving as a full-time excise police officer, Carson earned a bachelor's degree from Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin in 2003 in Criminal Justice Management and a master's degree in business management in 2006 from Indiana Wesleyan University. Because Concordia is located in Wisconsin, it is assumed Carson completed his bachelor's degree in a correspondence program. Although he was not required to do so, Carson had a copy of his undergraduate transcript placed in his personnel file. Carson studied from Spring, 2001 to Summer, 2003, earning an overall GPA score of 3.48 and credited with 128 hours. His study period was shortened as a result of 14 credit hours that he received from his law enforcement academy training and another 6 credit hours transferred from Ivy Tech. Although he earned mostly As and Bs, his lowest grades came in the latter part of his studies. He earned a C in Mathematics 125, a C- in Algebra 122 and a C- in Statistical Methods 169. Carson earned an A in the World of Islam and an A in the Management of Law Enforcement Agencies. Huskey said he believed Carson completed his studies at Indiana Wesleyan University through evening and weekend classes.Soon after Carson became an excise police officer, a letter of commendation dated December 13, 1998 and signed by Sgt. Don Weilhamer, Jr. of the Indianapolis Police Department was placed in his personnel file. Sgt. Weilhamer expressed gratitude to Carson's then-boss, Superintendent Gene Honeycutt, for the work of Carson and Officers John Dugan and Kevin Leslie with the investigation of several eastside Indianapolis bars. The investigation resulted in a number of arrests. "These Officers did an excellent job," wrote Sgt. Weilhamer.Although Carson never earned any promotions during his service as an excise police officer, from December 1, 2006 to August 28, 2007, Carson was assigned to the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center within the state's Department of Homeland Security as a watch officer. Huskey could not provide a job description for Carson's work at the Fusion Center because of the sensitive nature of his work there. Carson's website, nontheless, describes his duites. "There he worked in an anti-terrorism unit to provide Indianapolis and all of Indiana with the security measures necessary for our physical safety," the site reads. His employment ended there when he was appointed to the City-County Council and became a candidate for election to that office in the November election. Huskey explained that the Fusion Center received grants from the federal government and, although Carson's salary was still paid by the Indiana Excise Police, the decision was made to return Carson to his former job to avoid Hatch Act problems. In a letter dated September 4, 2007, Monte McKee, Executive Director of the Fusion Center, praised Carson's service. "I couldn't be more pleased that you were on our first staff of watch officers during the critical time of start-up operations at the fusion center and seeing us through to a point when we could grow to a full 24-7 operation."Weeks after Carson returned to the State Excise Police, he tendered his resignation to become a marketing specialist for Cripe Engineering. Carson tendered his letter of resignation in a memorandum to Supt. Huskey dated October 2, 2007. "I have enjoyed nine full years with this wonderful organization," Carson wrote. "I appreciate (sic) the opportunity to serve you."indiana politics gay GLBT law

This week, Michael and I ask: what the hell makes so many gay men so damn bitchy? Online Videos by Veoh.com srExecute();

Who loves the Bilerico Project? Noted queer activist and former head of the NGLTF, Urvashi Vaid. iPhone users: Click to watch srExecute();

The Indiana AIDS Fund announced more than $160,000 in funding from the Gregory R. Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistance (DEFA) fund for 16 organizations across Indiana.

Thirteen different Indianapolis performing arts organizations will return to Clowes Memorial Hall on Monday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. for Spotlight 2008: One Night, One Stage, One Reason.