Bullying was the subject of this weeks meeting of my Mostly Moms group from church. It has been on the schedule for several weeks, but the timing ended up being sadly appropriate in light of the recent news of several bullying related suicides. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the meeting. I was, however, able to read the concerns and heartbreaking stories from some of my friends about the bullying that their kids have had to endure. Right here in my favorite town. It crushes me.

An Important Message from Ellen About Bullying

Change needs to happen. Now! And I think it should start at home. Parents should be teaching their children to respect and honor the differences in others. I am tempted to rant about those who teach intolerance, but my friend Marie Sexton has already done so and she did it much better than I ever could have.

Because bullying exists and is real and is having devastating consequences, in addition to trying to stop the behavior it is also important to empower the bullied. Remind them that school is not life, it is temporary, that they are of value. With that thought, Dan Savage recently started the It Gets Better Project on YouTube where he is inviting people to share their stories and that it really does get better. Here is an example (there are so many to chose from!):

It Gets Better Project Video

Helpful links copied from the Ellen Show Website:

The Trevor Project at 866 4U TREVOR. It’s a 24-hour, national help line for gay and questioning teens. You can learn more about The Trevor Project at their website: thetrevorproject.org.

Angels and Doves is a nationwide anti-bullying non profit organization.
Their website is AngelsandDoves.com

The National Center for Bullying Prevention is helping to promote awareness
and teach effective ways to respond to bullying. You can learn more about
them at their website: Pacer.org/bullying

The Matthew Shepard Foundation runs Matthew’s Place, an online community and resource center for LGBTQ youth. The website is matthewsplace.com

GLSEN is also a great organization that is working to eradicate bullying and
bias in schools. Their website is: glsen.org

STOMP Out Bullying is focused on reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Find out more on their website: stompoutbullying.com

Things will get easier, people’s minds will change, and you should be alive to see it.

That my friend Jason of The Jason Show is walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure this Fall??

Well, he is!

From Jason’s donation page:

Dedicated to My Little Brother, Who Lost His Mom at Age 12

This photograph was taken the year before my mother died of breast cancer. Paul, my youngest brother, was eleven. Mom was so concerned about leaving her youngest boy without a mother, but she would be so immensely proud of him now. He is finishing his degree in social work, has plans to go on to graduate school, and is married to a girl that I’m certain our mother would have simply adored.

But not without a terrible struggle. Can you imagine being so young when your mother died? Maybe some of you were. Maybe some of you know.

Nobody deserves to lose their mother at such a young age. That is why I am dedicating the next eight months to Paul and all of those who have lost their moms to breast cancer before reaching adulthood. I am joining the Susan G. Komen 3-Day For the Cure 60 mile walk in San Diego, and every step I take, every dollar I raise, is dedicated to my little brother, with the knowledge that some day, research and science will find a way to put an end to this sort of tragedy.

Will you help? Please? Each participant must raise a minimum of $2,300.00 to donate to breast cancer research. My goal is $2,900.00. I know I can do it, we can all do it. We can all get just that much closer to the cure.
Even the smallest bit will help.

Please support me as I take an amazing journey in the fight to end breast cancer! The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is a 60-mile walk over the course of three days. Net proceeds from the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure™ are invested in breast cancer research and community programs.

I believe that he has raised enough money to officially participate in the event, but has yet to reach his personal fundraising goal.

I want to encourage you to donate directly to help him reach his goal here: Donate to Jason’s 2010 3-Day Walk for the Cure

Or you can donate with out actually spending any money as Jason explains here: This is the Easiest Way to Help Beat Breast Cancer. Ever.

Takedown of NOM’s Lies About Prop 8

I don’t talk about it much because is it not the focus of my life, but I am not Christian. As I am talking a bit about religion here, I thought it best to clear the air first. I do consider myself spiritual and embrace the teachings of Jesus along with those of Buddha, the Dalai Lama and other great teachers. I believe that there is some truth to all (okay, most) World religions, but I don’t think that any one has all the answers for me.

That said, I know that there are many many wonderful Christians out there who bear the brunt of the fewer vocal haters who spew hate instead of love. All of that hate never made sense to me. If they are truly working towards the ideals that Jesus set down for them, why hate? Jesus didn’t.

The other morning, I woke up with the phrase “What Would Jesus Do?” stuck in my head. I was feeling frustrated with some of the so-called Christians and their anti-gay (anti-equal rights) stance. The anti-GLBT Westboro Baptist Church were recently planning a visit to my town, not for the first time, to protest at several locations. And I probably still had Dan Savage’s marriage video on my mind.

My thoughts were clear. If Jesus were living today, would he carry a “God Hates Fags”sign? Would he protest at a fallen soldiers funeral? Would he hate just to hate? Would he despise the differences in people? Color, sexual identity, height, weight, hair color…even religion?

Or would he celebrate and embrace those differences? Would he love everyone equally? Would he try to spread the love? Spread the tolerance? Encourage togetherness and empathy? Every fiber of my being says that he would do just that. That he did. That this was a major component of his message.

I kept these thoughts to myself, because I don’t think they are special or truly unique. Plus who am I to say…non-religious but spiritual person that I am?

However, I ran across an article last night that brought me back to that morning and those thoughts: A Different Kind of Christian Demonstration at Gay Pride

I almost cried. Heck, I’m still a little misty. : ) Read it if you have time, I think it’s worth it.

From the article (actually from this blog and included in the article: It Seems to Me….):

My favorite though was a gentleman who was dancing on a float. He was dressed solely in white underwear and had a pack of abs like no one else. As he was dancing on the float, he noticed us and jokingly yelled, “What are you sorry for? It’s pride!” I pointed to our signs and watched him read them.

Then it clicked.

Then he got it.

He stopped dancing. He looked at all of us standing there. A look of utter seriousness came across his face. And as the float passed us he jumped off of it and ran towards us. He hugged me and whispered, “thank you.”

And:

However, I think Jesus would have hugged him too. It’s exactly what I read throughout scripture: Jesus hanging out with people that religious people would flee from. Correlation between then and now? I think so.

This is what people of all religions (or non-religions)—make that “people of the world”—should be working towards. Peace, love, understanding. Just look at the positive energy in this photo…it’s beautiful.

It’s amazing what a little love can do!

Dan Savage answers the question “Why did you want to get married?”

As one of the Facebook commenters said:

He doesn’t even have to tell me why. The fact is he should be able to choose whether or not to, like anyone else.

It seems so simple.

Check out Dan’s YouTube channel…’tis good stuff! Dan Savage YouTube

There is nothing major going on, but I haven’t been feeling very connected lately. I wish it was easier to snap out of it. I snapped at a man who was doing the right thing yesterday. No matter how much it hurt me, he didn’t deserve it…I did apologize! I snapped again this morning at a man who totally deserved it, I am considering writing a letter…jerk.

I don’t want to whine any more than I already have, but I do want to briefly shine a spotlight on a sweet charity that was highlighted on the news the other day.

This little girl, Allison Winn, and her story rocked me!

At the moment the video on the news site is playing oddly for me, but audio is working and tells the story very well. Here is the link: 9-Year-Old’s Dog Biscuits Raising Money to Buy Dogs for Kids

From the 7 News article:

Winn was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. Recovery was miserable until Coco the dog came into her life. ”The dog instantly bonded with Allison,” said Dianna Litvak, Allison’s mother. “In the process, we realized that the dog was making Allison feel better.”

One day, Winn decided she was going to make dog biscuits. She wanted to sell them to raise money for another child to get a dog. From that idea came Project Stink Bug, named after what Winn called her chemo treatments.

Winn sold the homemade dog biscuits in her front yard all summer long. Word spread. ”People are so generous,” Litvak said. “One guy rode by on his bike and gave her a hundred dollar bill.” Soon Winn had enough money for two dogs. That’s when Winn’s idea moved to the state prison system. Why the state prison? Because the state of Colorado has the prison-trained K-9 companion program where inmates train rescue dogs.

“We have a reason to wake up every day,” said inmate Terrina Flora-Alexander. “We have a reason to do something positive.”

From Allison’s Stink Bug web site:

Allison is a nine-year-old who was diagnosed with a brain tumor which was successfully removed in its entirety on April 6, 2007.  The brain tumor, a highly malignant medullablastoma, is very treatable and has a 80-90 percent survival rate in children. Allison endured six weeks of radiation and nine chemotherapy treatments that began on her seventh golden birthday (May 7, 2007) and ended in June 2008. In September 2008, after treatment was over, her family adopted a bichon frise, Coco, that had been rescued and trained by Colorado Correctional Industries Prison Trained K-9 Companion Program. Coco became an important member of the family and Allison realized that it would have been nice to have Coco when she was home recovering from her treatments.

Allison returned to school and Brownies with the renewed vigor of a survivor, determined to help other kids going through the pain and loneliness of cancer treatment. She conceived the Stink Bug Project in the summer of 2009 after she went to a camp at the Denver Dumb Friends League that emphasized the importance of caring for dogs and how dogs make humans feel better. She decided to bake homemade dog biscuits and lemonade and sold them to friends and family and at a table near her house through the summer. By the end of the summer, she had raised $1500.  On October 20, 2009, Allison got her wish when Krysta, a two year old left partially blind by a brain tumor, became the first child to benefit from Allison’s Stink Bug Project. Now, supported by a network of family and friends, Colorado Correctional Industries K-9 Companion Program, area hospitals, and her school, Allison is continuing her efforts at baking dog biscuits and helping more families stricken with childhood cancer.

Allison drew a picture of a Stink Bug to represent chemo.  In May 2009, when treatments were over, she declared “Bye Bye Stink Bug!”

A direct link to Allison’s web site: Stink Bug Project

Something a little lighter today!! I just love the message of this video:

“Flawz” – Caitlin Crosby

“Remember, Celebrate, Act. A Day On Not A Day Off!” <— Visit this link to learn the importance of continuing his work, why and ways to celebrate, and history of the holiday itself.

Just a few Martin Luther King Jr. quotes for the day:

At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Starr had a little bit of holiday cash burning a hole in her pocket so she called Skye and they went shopping in Boulder yesterday. While there she sent me this text message:  “I bought the ‘Legalize Gay’ shirt at American Apparel!!” She has had one on her “want” list for a while.

I love that she was so excited about her purchase and that she wanted to share it with me right away! She kinda rocks!

This is what American Apparel has to say about the shirt:

American Apparel believes that sexuality should be celebrated, not condemned. But Proposition 8 is just that, a condemnation of the basic right of marriage of an entire group of people based on their sexuality. We’re proud to stand against Prop 8 and what it represents. In November of 2008 our Legalize Gay shirt was originally printed to give to protesters at rallies and marches. The response was so overwhelming that we had more made and distributed them to our stores and put them up online.

With many of our employees and customers identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, we are a company that is vocal about our support for the protection of gay rights. Scores of our employees were on the frontlines of protests in Los Angeles, handing out hundreds of Legalize Gay t-shirts to supporters, and we have donated over $17,000 worth of these shirts to protesters, Harvey Milk High School in New York City and local gay-interest businesses. We plan on donating at least 1,000 more to organizations that support marriage equality, and are currently discussing potential projects with GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco.

We stand on the side of love.

New “Fidelity” video from the Courage Campaign

From the Courage Campaign website:

The California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Proposition 8 is extremely disappointing, but we don’t have time to mourn their failure to restore marriage equality to California.

It’s time to go on offense. To be fearless in our fight for equality.

Starting right now.

In response, the Courage Campaign will hit the California airwaves with a 60-second TV ad version of “Fidelity” — the heartbreaking online video viewed by more than 1.2 million people, making it the most-watched video ever in the history of California politics.

We are launching this provocative new TV ad in the spirit of Harvey Milk’s call to “come out, come out wherever you are” and proudly tell the stories of the people most affected by the passage of Prop 8 — in moving images set to the beat of Regina Spektor’s beautiful song.

Mark Morford wrote a response to the California Supreme Court’s unfortunate and sad ruling:

But these setbacks are not insurmountable roadblocks. They are merely obnoxious speed bumps on what social conservatives see as our nation’s ungodly highway to hell. They only slow us down a little.

A new campaign in the fight for marriage equality is already taking shape. Evolution is happening, the energy and momentum are unstoppable. Simply put, the ignorance and homophobia that fueled and funded Prop 8 in the first place will not stand.

Don’t believe it? Hey, just ask your kids.

Equality just makes sense. Hate and fear doesn’t. I support love.