If you are in Louisville, Ky on February 20th, plan on attending the 2nd Quraan conference at the Cathedral of Assumption, a panel of ten members representing elected officials, pastors, rabbis, pundits, shamans and non-Muslim clergy will address any question on Quraan you may have from the Quraan directly. It is time weed out the myths from reality - details at http://americatogetherfoundation.blogspot.com/2010/12/louisville-quraan-conference.html
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Dreaming your 2011 - Happy New year
Dreaming your 2011 - Imagining your 2011
What is important and what is worth brooding? What is worth ignoring? What is worth chasing... gather the courage to scribble it down on a napkin - make that your holy napkin and save it, frame it...that is your blue print for 2011.
Indulge in wishing and day dreaming, and you may find yourselves a goal for 2011. It is worth your time to conjure up your 2011 and you may actually find yourselves edging towards fulfillment of your day dreams. Thanks to the creator, my family, friends and the people I know and my fans for making my life beautiful and meaningful.
You have the absolute freedom to choose how you feel, what you want and what you can achieve and you have the absolute right to deny yourselves all that is good in life. The choice is clearly yours.
Give this a shot - volunteer at least 3 hours a week where you know no one, serve the strangers, and particularly the ones you do not like... If you hate gays, go volunteer in a gay church, if you don't like a certain religious group, go serve them, if you don't like the white folks or black folks; serve them. As a life time volunteer, I guarantee the happiness for you for years to come. Believe me, I will do this over this weekend, sadly, there is not a God's creation that I hate or dislike, unless you want to piss me off, then it becomes obligatory on my part to serve you, and I will.
Mike Ghouse has taken up the patriotic idea of building a cohesive America for the benefit of every American while managing the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil and Cohesive Societies, Peace & Justice at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist.
Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and my most current notes are at my diary and face book.
Link to the article:
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/dreaming-your-2011-happy-new-year.html
You have the absolute freedom to choose how you feel, what you want and what you can achieve and you have the absolute right to deny yourselves all that is good in life. The choice is clearly yours.
Give this a shot - volunteer at least 3 hours a week where you know no one, serve the strangers, and particularly the ones you do not like... If you hate gays, go volunteer in a gay church, if you don't like a certain religious group, go serve them, if you don't like the white folks or black folks; serve them. As a life time volunteer, I guarantee the happiness for you for years to come. Believe me, I will do this over this weekend, sadly, there is not a God's creation that I hate or dislike, unless you want to piss me off, then it becomes obligatory on my part to serve you, and I will.
Mike Ghouse has taken up the patriotic idea of building a cohesive America for the benefit of every American while managing the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil and Cohesive Societies, Peace & Justice at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist.
Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/ and my most current notes are at my diary and face book.
Link to the article:
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/dreaming-your-2011-happy-new-year.html
Israel and the rule of Law
A Martin Luther King Jr. is needed in Israel to bring fruition to the universal idea of “all are equal before the law” It will lift a huge spiritual burden off the conscience of the ordinary Israelis and the Jewish people around the world. I do wish well for all the people of the world to strive to find peace.
------
Ex-Israeli President Katsav convicted of Rape. Prime Minister Netanyahu shared a thoughtful comment for a change. "This is a sad day for the State of Israel and its residents,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after the verdict. "Today, the court conveyed two clear-cut messages -- that all are equal before the law and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body."
Indeed, it is the rule of law that needs to be admired about the state of Israel.
However, I will go back to our own history when the founding fathers declared, “All men are created equal” but it’s emancipation took a century to treat “African Americans equal” and about 150 years to recognize that “women are equal members of the society” and finally the Civil rights acts legally gave the full meaning to the idea of “all men are equal”.
The State of Israel is where America was two centuries ago. The words by Prime Minister Netanyahu “that all are equal’ are without any depth to it. The few right wingers that run the state are getting away with its apartheid policies towards Palestinians against the Jewish public wishes. A Martin Luther King Jr. is needed in Israel to bring fruition to the universal idea of “all are equal before the law” It will lift a huge spiritual burden off the conscience of the ordinary Israelis and the Jewish people around the world.
A few years ago, a Jewish educator friend had had cut off talking with me and retuning my emails. When I accidentally ran into him in a conference, all he had to say was, “ I have nothing to do with you” on my ‘why’ question, he blurted, “You have written about that lousy Jimmy Carter and his book on your website who is anti-Israel, and that does not go well with me”. I know he was not speaking for the Jewish people.
I do hope some one will wake up and address the anguish of the ordinary Jewish folks and ease the burden of mistreating Palestinians for their own peace of mind.
Things will not change, unless the silent majority of Jewish people speak up.
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at www.MikeGhouse.net
# # #
JTA News Alert
Dec. 30, 2010
Ex-Israeli president Katsav convicted of rape
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was found guilty of rape and sexual assault, more than four years after he was first accused.
The unanimous verdict of the three-judge panel was announced in Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday.
Katsav, 65, was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting A., a former employee of the Tourism Ministry. He was also convicted of sexually harassing H. and of sexually abusing and harassing L., both employees of the President's Residence, and of obstruction of justice. The incidents occurred when Katsav was serving as Israel's president and tourism minister. The victims' names have been kept in confidence by the courts.
Katsav was accompanied to court by his lawyers but not by his wife, Gila, who previously had stood by his side throughout the proceedings. Katsav's attorneys said they would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.
The trial lasted for one year. Two years ago, Katsav declined what was seen as a lenient plea bargain -- one that dropped the rape charges for lesser charges and likely would have left him with a suspended sentence -- saying that he wanted to clear his name in court. Most of the trial was held behind closed doors to protect the identities of the accusers.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. A rape conviction carries a minimum prison sentence of four years and a maximum of 16 years.
Katsav, who immigranted to Israel from Iran in 1951, became president when the Knesset elected him in 2000, upsetting candidate Shimon Peres. Peres became president in 2007 after Katsav resigned in the wake of the allegations, shortly before the end of his term.
"This is a sad day for the State of Israel and its residents," Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after the verdict. "Today, the court conveyed two clear-cut messages -- that all are equal before the law and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body."
Check back at JTA for more details and updates on this story.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to JTA.org. To manage your preferences, click here.
------
Ex-Israeli President Katsav convicted of Rape. Prime Minister Netanyahu shared a thoughtful comment for a change. "This is a sad day for the State of Israel and its residents,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after the verdict. "Today, the court conveyed two clear-cut messages -- that all are equal before the law and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body."
Indeed, it is the rule of law that needs to be admired about the state of Israel.
However, I will go back to our own history when the founding fathers declared, “All men are created equal” but it’s emancipation took a century to treat “African Americans equal” and about 150 years to recognize that “women are equal members of the society” and finally the Civil rights acts legally gave the full meaning to the idea of “all men are equal”.
The State of Israel is where America was two centuries ago. The words by Prime Minister Netanyahu “that all are equal’ are without any depth to it. The few right wingers that run the state are getting away with its apartheid policies towards Palestinians against the Jewish public wishes. A Martin Luther King Jr. is needed in Israel to bring fruition to the universal idea of “all are equal before the law” It will lift a huge spiritual burden off the conscience of the ordinary Israelis and the Jewish people around the world.
A few years ago, a Jewish educator friend had had cut off talking with me and retuning my emails. When I accidentally ran into him in a conference, all he had to say was, “ I have nothing to do with you” on my ‘why’ question, he blurted, “You have written about that lousy Jimmy Carter and his book on your website who is anti-Israel, and that does not go well with me”. I know he was not speaking for the Jewish people.
I do hope some one will wake up and address the anguish of the ordinary Jewish folks and ease the burden of mistreating Palestinians for their own peace of mind.
Things will not change, unless the silent majority of Jewish people speak up.
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on Pluralism and Islam offering pluralistic solutions to the media and public on issues of the day. His blogs and sites are listed at www.MikeGhouse.net
# # #
JTA News Alert
Dec. 30, 2010
Ex-Israeli president Katsav convicted of rape
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was found guilty of rape and sexual assault, more than four years after he was first accused.
The unanimous verdict of the three-judge panel was announced in Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday.
Katsav, 65, was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting A., a former employee of the Tourism Ministry. He was also convicted of sexually harassing H. and of sexually abusing and harassing L., both employees of the President's Residence, and of obstruction of justice. The incidents occurred when Katsav was serving as Israel's president and tourism minister. The victims' names have been kept in confidence by the courts.
Katsav was accompanied to court by his lawyers but not by his wife, Gila, who previously had stood by his side throughout the proceedings. Katsav's attorneys said they would appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court.
The trial lasted for one year. Two years ago, Katsav declined what was seen as a lenient plea bargain -- one that dropped the rape charges for lesser charges and likely would have left him with a suspended sentence -- saying that he wanted to clear his name in court. Most of the trial was held behind closed doors to protect the identities of the accusers.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. A rape conviction carries a minimum prison sentence of four years and a maximum of 16 years.
Katsav, who immigranted to Israel from Iran in 1951, became president when the Knesset elected him in 2000, upsetting candidate Shimon Peres. Peres became president in 2007 after Katsav resigned in the wake of the allegations, shortly before the end of his term.
"This is a sad day for the State of Israel and its residents," Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement after the verdict. "Today, the court conveyed two clear-cut messages -- that all are equal before the law and that every woman has exclusive rights to her body."
Check back at JTA for more details and updates on this story.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to JTA.org. To manage your preferences, click here.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Building respect for Christmas
A handful of Jews, Muslims and others show belligerence towards the celebration of Christmas and have vandalized Christmas trees, shame on them. The good news is that they are less than 1/100th of 1% of any given group. There will always be a few among (every one) us who are bellicosive towards others. Are you and I any better than them? If we are, our attitudes should not mirror them; instead it should be what can we do to make the world a better place? What can we do to change instead of aggravating it?
This article appeared in Huffington Post - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/building-respect-this-chr_b_801103.html
The public is as guilty as the media when it comes to what gets currency; it is a vicious circle and has to be consciously chucked. The media mirrors the stories generated by less than 1/100th of 1% of population and dumps on the rest of the population as though it is ‘their’ story, and the public on the other hand has not demonstrated their support for good news and scrutiny.
We all need to work on building respect for each others celebrations. On NPR this morning, there was a Christian Radio broadcaster who was telling that in Bethlehem Nazareth
A Christian lady in Pakistan India will harm some trees, and a few among Christians in America
Once again, I request you to ask your Pastors to find ways to mitigate conflicts and not flare it up in their sermons.
Just as Jesus symbolized love for the humanity; Krishna, Buddha, Muhammad, Abraham, Moses, Mahavira, Nanak, Bahaullah, Zarathustra and others whether we know them or not, had dedicated their whole lives to build social cohesion through justice.
This article is to bring awareness that the media’s reporting is statistically insignificant, and assure fellow inhabitants of the world who are Christians, to understand and resist the temptation to hold Jews or Muslim responsible for the acts of a few bad men.
As a Muslim I celebrate the message of Jesus and his birth as I would celebrate and honor Prophet Muhammad, Krishna, Buddha…. and others who have worked diligently to bring peace, justice and harmony to the societies. It would be smallness in me to deny their work for humanity. They wanted nothing but goodness for humanity and their messages was for every one, not any one in particular. The Quraan begins addressing the Universal Lord and closes with Humanity. Same thing can be said about Bhagvad Gita and many a holy scriptures.
As a Muslim I celebrate the message of Jesus and his birth as I would celebrate and honor Prophet Muhammad, Krishna, Buddha…. and others who have worked diligently to bring peace, justice and harmony to the societies. It would be smallness in me to deny their work for humanity. They wanted nothing but goodness for humanity and their messages was for every one, not any one in particular. The Quraan begins addressing the Universal Lord and closes with Humanity. Same thing can be said about Bhagvad Gita and many a holy scriptures.
Jesus did not preach to Christians, he preached to the whole humanity. He is my hero, my teacher and my mentor along with all those great teachers and today, on his birthday, I will do everything I can to propagate his message of peace on earth without becoming a member of any private club. May God bring us all peace as a gift on this Christmas. Amen!
Here is my singular wish for this Christmas; it is to follow the path of Jesus. It means to be like him, to be prejudice free; to be free from ill-will and malice, to forgive and embrace those whom we don't like. I wish us to be free from all bias. My full wish is at - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-singular-wish-for-christmas.html Amen
# # #
Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, Peace & Justice at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist.
Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
My singular wish for Christmas
My singular wish for this Christmas is to follow the path of Jesus. It means to be like him, to be prejudice free; to be free from ill-will and malice, to forgive and embrace those whom we don’t like. I wish us to be free from all biases. Amen
Christmas evokes kindness, empathy and goodness towards fellow beings; it’s a euphoric feeling of renewal that Jesus taught to the world, it is a sense of completion one feels when he or she finds in tune with humanity. Jesus showed the way by embracing the whole humanity regardless of who they were. He is my hero, he is my mentor and he is the first known Pluralist on the earth. Christmas is a celebration of that refreshed feeling.
Christmas is also a day of expressing our gratitude for everything we have, if we are breathing, able to smell, see, touch and care, then some one needs to be thanked for, begin that with the creator all the way to some one who gave you hope by a mere smile.
Christmas is also a time to wish well to some one you don’t like and see the meaning of forgiveness Jesus taught …. There is nothing like the feeling you get from wishing some one well. Try it, may this Christmas bring you peace of mind and free you from all that hurts.
I am preparing my talk about the essence of Christmas and would be pleased to share at your congregation.
What is your singular wish?
Merry Christmas!
Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, Peace & Justice Saturday, December 04, 2010at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist.
Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Which Religion stories merited more.
Pastor Robert Jeffress called Qur’aan an evil book written by a false prophet, the man has frightened thousands of Americans from that pulpit with his un-verifiable claims. Instead of demanding the truth, the congregation has shamelessly rewarded him for peddling hate. He took advantage of their faith in him just as Tilton and several others in Dallas
Published in Dallas Morning News today "Which religion stories merited more and better coverage?" http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/12/texas-faith-what-religion-stor.html
Published in Dallas Morning News today "Which religion stories merited more and better coverage?" http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/12/texas-faith-what-religion-stor.html
Hate is one of the many sources of disrupting peace in a society, and it is our responsibility to track down the source of such hate and mitigate it for the benefit of all Americans. No American has to live in anxieties, discomfort or fear of the other. It is our duty to faithfully guard the safety of every citizen.
Since our independence we have endured divisive issues like the Civil war, Vietnam War, Abortion, Prayer in School, Anti-Semitism, Civil Rights, Racism , Iraq- Afghanistan America
However, the newly framed hate towards fellow Americans, who follow the religion of Islam, is going to consume our energies for years to come if we do not take the right steps now. The attack on Qur’aan, their holy book has just begun.
A great initiative was taken by the Foundation for Pluralism to mitigate the conflicts by demystify the myths about Qur’aan, which were aggressively pushed by the right wingers to pitch one American against the other for their own gains whatever they may be.
Pastor Robert Jeffress called Qur’aan an evil book written by a false prophet, the man has frightened thousands of Americans from that pulpit with his un-verifiable claims. Instead of demanding the truth, the congregation has shamelessly rewarded him for peddling hate. He took advantage of their faith in him just as Tilton and several others in Dallas
The Pastor was given a monumental historical challenge; he was offered a copy of the Qur’aan and asked to find three things that are evil in it, and if he were to find them, the challenger, a Muslim was going to walk away from his faith to join the Pastors’ congregation, nothing like this has ever happened in the history of a religion. It's a big story.
With the exception of Steve Blow of Dallas Morning News, the media chose to turn a blind eye, and Fox news deliberately suppressed the truth in their interviews depriving the American public from knowing the truth.
Pastor Jeffress did not tell the truth nor did he take up the challenge to identify what is evil in Qur’aan. The question remains, did someone dupe him with the false information, or was he deliberately misleading his congregation?
Do the folks who listened to his hate filled sermon hold grudges against fellow Americans? Does prejudice and hate harm the social cohesion of America
The media failed to ask him the specifics; his words were carried on the airwaves like the gospel truth without questioning the veracity of his claims and motives. If lawyers were to act like the media, what will happen to the criminals? Isn’t finding the truth important to the man of the religion and the media?
The purpose of the Qur’aan conference was to understand the issues and find ways to remove such fears and phobias in an open forum and restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America
Pastor Jeffress declined to attend the conference. However, he was honored for bringing the issue to the fore from the gossip mills, it has allowed us to search for the truth in an open forum with a real Qur’aan in hand instead of building castles on falsities within the back room conversations.
This story should have been on the front pages and evening news and it was not.
The organization America together is in the making to focus on bringing Americans together with a series of educational programs to address the issues in an open forum and restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America
# # #
There are seven more stories at :
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/12/texas-faith-what-religion-stor.html
Video Interviews and documentaries at: www.Quraanconference.com
Steve Blow's article: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_19met.ART.West.Edition1.356a575.html
There are seven more stories at :
http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/12/texas-faith-what-religion-stor.html
Video Interviews and documentaries at: www.Quraanconference.com
Steve Blow's article: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_19met.ART.West.Edition1.356a575.html
Mike Ghouse runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and has dedicated his life to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.
Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, Peace & Justice Saturday, December 04, 2010at your school, work place, seminars or place of worship. He is a regular commentator on the TV, Radio and Print media offering pluralistic solutions to the issues of the day. He is a speaker, thinker, writer and a peace activist.
Mike's work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/
Foundation for Pluralism | World Muslim congress | America Together
Lunar Eclipse Tonite
LUNAR ECLIPSE TONITE
Legends abound- darkness has come to an end- evil is temporary - your wishes will come true- get out of others way and -watching eclipse will bring bad luck- if clouds clear here in Arkansas I'm driving thru, I will watch it. This happens once in 446 years. It's a beautiful 3D natural phenomena.
Legends abound- darkness has come to an end- evil is temporary - your wishes will come true- get out of others way and -watching eclipse will bring bad luck- if clouds clear here in Arkansas I'm driving thru, I will watch it. This happens once in 446 years. It's a beautiful 3D natural phenomena.
Mike Ghouse The eclipse is coinciding with winter solstice as well. What stories can you share?
18 hours ago ·
Abdul Ghani Desai Mike, we have snow and wouldn't stop until early morning. There is no chance to see Eclipse.
17 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse I hope Ms. Moon shows up at 1:00 - the skies are clear in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. I will wait, lost my good camera and I don't believe iphone will take good pictures... any oneelse watching?
16 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse Its 1:15 now, and its creeping me out...I took two pictures from my iphone and both showed it full moon... I will take a few more as the moon is decimating as I am watching it... few more.. then I must run in before I become a full circle - it is throwing me off with what the moon looks like and what it appears in the pic. I will post the pictures later... I hope they don't disappear from the camera...
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse Mary ann your explanation makes sense... Things look spherical from distance.. Ok the moon is getting pencil thin now
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse 1:34 size of a grain of rice now
And the clouds have cleared around it in a big circle
And the clouds have cleared around it in a big circle
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse She is supposed to come back with full glory it's cold out here and wind is blowing.. Trying to catch my jacket
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse Omg get out and see it 3/4ths gold circle now... Incredibly beautiful! 1:42
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse 1:45 it's toggling from rim to 3/4 and back to rim... Next time would be 486 years from now
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse It's full ring and the sphere now... Toggling or simply my eyes are getting messed up
14 hours ago ·
Mike Ghouse 2:03 Moon has decided to stick it out... welcome other observations. I am ready to go to sleep now... got to get up and drive two more hours in the morning in rush hour
14 hours ago ·
Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk The moon is glowing red now!
14 hours ago · · 1 personAngela Heil likes this.
Ann Whitehead Garner Magnificent to be sharing this historical event with y'all! Notice the STILLNESS in the air? Dogs continue to howl and birds chirping to express their wonderment :-))).
13 hours ago · · 1 personLoading...
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Congratulations to GLBT community
Congratulations to the Gay and Lesbian community. The senate has just voted to end the "don't ask, don't tell" discriminatory practices against GLBT in the military. President Obama will sign that into Law.
No American has to live in anxieties, discomfort or fear of the other. We are forming a new organization called America Together to discuss the issues that instill fear in Americans, and to understand and remove such fears in an open discussion forum to restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America. We have planned a conference on the subject - details are at: http://americanstogether.blogspot.com/
Facebook has over 85 comments on the article: http://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse#!/notes/mike-ghouse/congratulations-to-glbt-community/10150114645892774
Faisal Alam shares this site. or those that argue that "all religions" condemn homosexuality - please take a look at this insightful website that will clearly demonstrate the diversity of opinions on the issue.
http://www.hrc.org/issues/
On December 7, 2010, I wrote my opinion in Dallas Mornign News as well
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/army-chaplains-and-their-religious.html
___________ Sign your name ___________
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/DADTrepealed/?source=20101218_BO_act&keycode&firstname=Mike&lastname=Ghouse&email=Mikeghouse%40gmail.com&zip=75234
Mike --
Moments ago, the Senate voted to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.
Gay and lesbian service members -- brave Americans who enable our freedoms -- will no longer have to hide who they are.
The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.
Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.
This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.
Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.
Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America's letter?
I will make sure these messages are delivered -- you can also add a comment about what the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" means to you.
As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.
But this victory is also personal.
I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.
But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me -- many I will never meet, and can never thank.
I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.
But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another -- the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.
Today, I'm proud that we took these fights on.
Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal possible:
http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed
Thank you,
Barack
No American has to live in anxieties, discomfort or fear of the other. We are forming a new organization called America Together to discuss the issues that instill fear in Americans, and to understand and remove such fears in an open discussion forum to restore the cohesiveness of our society and work towards building a safe and secure America. We have planned a conference on the subject - details are at: http://americanstogether.blogspot.com/
Facebook has over 85 comments on the article: http://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse#!/notes/mike-ghouse/congratulations-to-glbt-community/10150114645892774
Faisal Alam shares this site. or those that argue that "all religions" condemn homosexuality - please take a look at this insightful website that will clearly demonstrate the diversity of opinions on the issue.
http://www.hrc.org/issues/
On December 7, 2010, I wrote my opinion in Dallas Mornign News as well
http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2010/12/army-chaplains-and-their-religious.html
___________ Sign your name ___________
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/DADTrepealed/?source=20101218_BO_act&keycode&firstname=Mike&lastname=Ghouse&email=Mikeghouse%40gmail.com&zip=75234
Mike --
Moments ago, the Senate voted to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
When that bill reaches my desk, I will sign it, and this discriminatory law will be repealed.
Gay and lesbian service members -- brave Americans who enable our freedoms -- will no longer have to hide who they are.
The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.This victory belongs to you. Without your commitment, the promise I made as a candidate would have remained just that.
Instead, you helped prove again that no one should underestimate this movement. Every phone call to a senator on the fence, every letter to the editor in a local paper, and every message in a congressional inbox makes it clear to those who would stand in the way of justice: We will not quit.
This victory also belongs to Senator Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and our many allies in Congress who refused to let politics get in the way of what was right.
Like you, they never gave up, and I want them to know how grateful we are for that commitment.
Will you join me in thanking them by adding your name to Organizing for America's letter?
I will make sure these messages are delivered -- you can also add a comment about what the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" means to you.
As Commander in Chief, I fought to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" because it weakens our national security and military readiness. It violates the fundamental American principles of equality and fairness.
But this victory is also personal.
I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because of my sexual orientation.
But I know my story would not be possible without the sacrifice and struggle of those who came before me -- many I will never meet, and can never thank.
I know this repeal is a crucial step for civil rights, and that it strengthens our military and national security. I know it is the right thing to do.
But the rightness of our cause does not guarantee success, and today, celebration of this historic step forward is tempered by the defeat of another -- the DREAM Act. I am incredibly disappointed that a minority of senators refused to move forward on this important, commonsense reform that most Americans understand is the right thing for our country. On this issue, our work must continue.
Today, I'm proud that we took these fights on.
Please join me in thanking those in Congress who helped make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal possible:
http://my.barackobama.com/Repealed
Thank you,
Barack
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