Asking For It

What Molly Said.

More on this from The Snake Goddess.

Some Sanity In A World Of "Abstinence Education"

Good. Let's hope that other schools will follow. What's the point to denying children the medical care that they need? Who thinks that it's a better option to let middle school kids conceive babies? As for the "parents' rights," parents can exercise their rights by staying involved with their kids' lives and supervising their kids. But they don't have a "right" to foist unwanted babies and sexual diseases onto their kids or the rest of us.

Seriously, This Should Lead To Impeachment

Sweet Kali on a croissant, yesterday's testimony from former Surgeon General Carmona would, in a rational universe, be enough, all by itself, to impeach George W. Bush. Carmona, Surgeon General during Bush's first term, testified that:

* He was ordered to mention President Bush three times on every page of his speeches. You know, this is the kind of megalomaniacal, stupid-shit, ignorant, petty rule that only the most deranged of emperors puts in place. Carmona needs to be forced to say who ordered him to do that.

* He was asked to make speeches to support Republican political candidates. Shades of Lurita Doan, Bush's head of the GSA, who asked her employees "How can we support our candidates in the next election?"

* Bush administration officials discouraged him from attending the Special Olympics because, he said, of that charitable organization’s longtime ties to a “prominent family” that he refused to name. I don't know why he's playing so coy; everyone knows that the family is the Kennedys. I want this incident thrown in the face of all the David Broders of the world who whine about how Democrats need to be "more bipartisan." The Bush administration won't even turn off its relentless politicization of everything to help out retarded kids who want to play softball or run races. I want this incident thrown in the face of every talking head on tv who moans about liberals with their "irrational hatred of Bush."

* He attended a meeting of top officials in which the subject of global warming was discussed. The officials concluded that global warming was a liberal cause and dismissed it, he said. He tried to explain the science to them; he was never invited back. Again, I don't ever want to hear again about "reaching across the aisle" on issues of "common concern." The Republicans' only concern was whether an issue was "liberal" or "conservative" -- the fact that the entire Earth might be at risk was irrelevant. You've really got to stop for a minute and let that sink in.

* When stem cells became a focus of debate, Dr. Carmona said he proposed that his office offer guidance “so that we can have, if you will, informed consent.” “I was told to stand down and not speak about it,” he said. “It was removed from my speeches.” Informed decision making? This junta don't' need no informed decision making! Karl Rove decides that a given position will play well with the irrational, batshit insane, fundie base and that's the end of the matter. Meanwhile, American medicine and research lags behind the rest of the world and other countries patent and profit from new medical discoveries. The Republicans don't care. They care about being in power. Period.

* He wanted to address the controversial topic of sexual education. Scientific studies suggest that the most effective approach includes a discussion of contraceptives. “However there was already a policy in place that did not want to hear the science but wanted to preach abstinence only, but I felt that was scientifically incorrect,” he said. See above re: Rove.

* A surgeon general report on global health was never approved because he refused to sprinkle the report with glowing references to the efforts of the Bush administration.

* A surgeon general report concerning health care in prisons has also never been released. “The correctional health care report is pointing out the inadequacies of health care within our correctional health care system,” he said. “It would force the government on a course of action to improve that.” Because the administration does not want to spend more money on prisoners’ health care, the report has been delayed, Dr. Carmona said. “For us, the science was pretty easy,” he said. “These people go back into the community and take diseases with them.” He added, “This is not about the crime. It’s about protecting the public.” Protecting the public is so low on this administration's list of priorities that it's laughable.

Interestingly, Dr. Carmona described himself as politically naive. He's not the only person chosen by this administration who can be described that way. Remember John J. DiIulio Jr., director of the faith-based office, who eventually accused the the Bush White House with being obsessed politics but dismissive of policy, and slammed them as "Mayberry Machiavellis"? David Kuo, who was deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, later charged much the same thing. You get the impression that naivete was what the Bush administration wanted, especially for positions such as Surgeon General. Let's face it, if they were starting from scratch, Republicans would never even have a Surgeon General. Given, however, that they had to fill the position, they filled it with a naive dupe who would follow their instructions to mention the boyking three times on every page and allow them to use him to mislead the American public. Sometimes, even naive dupes insist on trying to do their actual jobs. In that case, they are never invited back to meetings and are let got at the end of the first term. And, here's how the Bush junta thanks them:

Emily Lawrimore, a White House spokeswoman, said the surgeon general “is the leading voice for the health of all Americans.” “It’s disappointing to us,” Ms. Lawrimore said, “if he failed to use this position to the fullest extent in advocating for policies he thought were in the best interests of the nation.” That's cute; isn't it? Dr. Carmona failed to advocate for policies that would help Americans. Shame on him. The denial of reality is positively breathtaking. The man just testified under oath that when he tried, for example, to advocate for sex education that included information on contraceptives, "there was already a policy in place that did not want to hear the science but wanted to preach abstinence only." When he wanted to release a report that would have prevented released prisoners from spreading AIDS to the general public, the report wasn't released because that might have impacted Paris Hilton's tax cuts. When he wanted to release a report on global health, it was trashcanned because he hadn't sufficiently larded it with praise for Republicans.

Someone impeach Bush and Cheney and do it fast.

Feast Of The Red Dragon

If you're free this afternoon, you've got to go.

The DC Radical Faeries invite you to the 2007
Red Dragon Feast

All Hail the Red Dragon!
All Hail the Life Giving Blood!

When: Saturday, February 17th 2pm – 5pm
Where: Universalist National Memorial Church, 16th ST and S St NW, Washington, DC
Dress Code: Anything as long as it’s RED!!
Cost: $10 Suggested donation, but no one turned away for lack of funds, and whatever you buy at auction

Please RSVP and purchase tickets in advance. Please, if you cannot attend, consider sending a donation. The ticket and donation buttons will be available on line soon. Please check back.

If you don’t want to make a donation online you can send a check or money order to:

DC Radical Faeries
773 Fairmont St NW
Washington, DC
Attn: Red Dragon

**What is the Red Dragon Feast?**

The Red Dragon Feast is an annual magical working, feast and fundraiser auction for healing blood-borne diseases.

**What Happens at the Red Dragon Feast?**
Our local practice of the Red Dragon Feast is to…
gather near Valentines Day wearing red outfits
drum and dance with the Red Dragon
feast on red foods
offer raucus toasts of red drink
honor all who have died of blood borne disease
host a raffle and auction to raise funds for charity
call for strength for healers
call for comfort and healing for all who suffer

**What should I bring?**

Please, do NOT bring food. Food and drinks will lovingly be provided to you.

Please, DO bring fabulous items for auction (better if they are Red and/or Dragony).
Please do bring cash and checks for tax deductible donations, and to buy auction items.
Please wear your dancing shoes.
Please, wear RED!
Please register online.

**Which church is it?**

The Universalist National Memorial Church at 16th & S. If you’re not sure which one it is, please check the website or contact us.

**How do I get there?**

BY METRO:

Red line: Depart Dupont Circle station. Exit the north (Q St.) side. Exit right from the escalator, walk to New Hampshire Ave., and turn left, walking until you reach S St. Turn right, you will find the church on the corner of 16th St. The southbound S2 or S4 bus, leaving the Silver Spring station, stops in front of the church, but the ride is over a half hour.

Green line: Depart at U St/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo station. Exit the 13th Street side, and walk, in the direction of the Rite Aid pharmacy, to 16th St. The church is two full blocks left, at S St.

Blue or Orange lines: Depart at McPherson Square, Metro Center, or Federal Triangle stations and take the S2 or S4 bus ($1.20; $0.35 with transfer from Metrorail) to the church. The easiest bus transfer is from the McPherson Square stop — there is a bus-shelter catty-corner from the subway exit — but the Metro Center station will feel safer after dark. Exit 11th Street; there is a bus shelter on the same corner.

DRIVING:

From Virginia:
Cross the river over the 14th Street Bridge (I-395). Take 14th Street north to S St. NW, and turn left.

or Take the Memorial Bridge, take the E St. exit, turn left on to 18th Street. Turn right on S St. and drive to 16th Street.

From Maryland:
From the Beltway, exit on Georgia Avenue, heading south. Merge onto 16th St exit, and drive into the District. The church is about five miles ahead.

**Who are the DC Radical Faeries?**

The DC Radical Faeries is a community-based organization of men and women who explore queer spirituality. We promote an understanding of Earth-based religions and interfaith cooperation. We welcome all queer spirits, straight, gay, bi, trans, two-spirited or searching. We welcome people from all walks of life who want to share and nurture their essential fabulosity. For the past seven years we have hosted weekly and annual events open to the community. We are incorporated as a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia, and are also a federally recognized 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.

**More Info**

Want to volunteer before, during or after the event?
Want to offer auction items? Want more information?
Contact: info@DCRadFeys.org
OR the
DC Faerie Phone Line: 202-332-4697

The Worst That The Patriarchy Has To Offer.

Once again, the catholic church demonstrates how truly anti-woman it really is.

The Vactican is furious over an Italian magazine reporter who "confessed" various sins to Italian priests to find out how closely they honed to the Vatican's line on various issues. The old white men in the silly dresses can rest easy: all the priests condemned abortion. However:

In another confessional box he faked being HIV positive and was told by a priest that whether or not he used a condom in order not to pass the virus to the woman he loved was "a very personal matter of conscience."

I hope, well, I think you know what I hope.