Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Ah, another New Year's Eve!

Ah, another New Year's Eve!

Greetings!In the article "2002 for beginners - Start the New Year with 8 Resolutions You Can Make and Keep", Timothy Murphy advises:
"#8 - FREE YOUR HEART, FEED YOUR SOUL: Not to get all Oprah on you, but if you're going into 2002 with old resentments - against an ex, family or fallen-out friend - either patch things up or let the anger go. According to Everett Worthington, a psychologist who studies the health effects of forgiveness, "by giving an unwarranted gift to someone who doesn't deserve it, we find paradoxically that it is we ourselves who are freed from that bondage." That can mean lower levels of stress, depression, blood pressure - all coups for HIVers.So that leaves just you and the universe. How do you talk to each other? Whether it's through an organized house of worship, some form of meditation or prayer, volunteering your time to others or even just a conscious gratitude that every day is a gift, reaching out to something bigger than yourself may greatly enhance all those pills, powders, and protein shakes. (Studies correlate more prayer with more CD4 cells - honest!) And keep in mind these words from HIVer Mark V.: Any experience - be it sex, nature, art or hilarity - can be spiritual if you are present for it."." From the January issue of POZ
This struck me because I consider Oprah one of my mentors and try to practice forgiveness as she once defined it: "Forgiveness is giving up the Hope that the past could be different". It also struck me because over the last ten years, I have come to learn that by giving an unwarranted gift to those who don't deserve it, it is I who is freed from that bondage of anger.I had read this article weeks ago and set it aside in my commentary file. I was reminded of it as I watched Tom Hanks' stunning performance in "Philadelphia" again last night. I was watching for two reasons - to remind myself of how it still really is out there, and to write down this passage:
The Precedent: "The Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as a reference for this Supreme Court decision: "Subsequent decisions have held that AIDS is protected as a handicap under law not only because of the physical limitations it imposes, but because the prejudice surrounding AIDS exacts a social death which precedes the actual physical one.This is the essence of discrimination - formulating opinions about others not based on their individual merits but rather on their membership in a group with assumed characteristics."
In many ways, I consider that I died and have been a dead man walking since October 3, 1991. Most assuredly since October 10th, when Perkins learned my satus and "constructively discharged" me. Since then, I have tried my best to journey on with dignity, honesty and that conscious gratitude that every day is a gift, reaching out to something bigger than myself. It's been a very long and hard road to tow, but 2002 begins a new Odyssey: Toward a Hate Free Millennium. I will strive to put the past in its place with forgiveness, shake of the shroud of societal death and Believe that I can run on.... My mission is to continue reaching out to something bigger than myself so that I may enhance all those pills, powders, and protein shakes; to live to tell as long as I am able and to share my experiences with any one who may benefit from what I've learned.Best Regards!Michael

"Overall, how would you describe the energy you’re putting out into the world and how is it coming back to you?"
Anonymous said; "I'm giving out positive energy and getting back alot of negative energy so I would like to blame it on the people I've surrounded myself with..." Dec 27

"Cruel men believe in a cruel God and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly God, and they would be kindly in any case." Bertrand Russell

"If God, as they say, is homophobic, I wouldn't worship that God." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

  • Make sure your getting ready for the Worldwide Civil Rights March on April 21,2012. It seems like a long time away... http://t.co/SWOtlNHN

  • WORLDWIDE MARCH LOCATIONS, WATCH/AFTER PARTIES, ONLINE EVENT AS WELL
    It will be the largest congregation EVER of... http://t.co/D2JMIfEj

Years ago, after I had come OUT and moved away from Home; I got involved with the local LGBT Community... Over the years since; I have learned and been surprised by the amount of unfriendly competition and animosity between the various organizations. I remember thinking: If we can’t even play nice with each other, how in the world are we going to lead our movement forward?


Do the math
Lasting success is achieved by addition and multiplication, not subtraction or division. If your winning depends on causing someone else to lose, that success is doomed to eventually run out. By contrast, when your success is built by creating new value for the world around you, it can continue to grow indefinitely.
Do the math. When you continue subtracting and dividing, you soon reach the very real limit of zero. But you can continue adding and multiplying with no such limit.

Certainly it is a competitive world. Yet the most successful competitors are those who do not depend on the competition, those who make the whole pie bigger instead of fighting over a single slice.

Real success and real value can never be wrested away from another. Your success and fulfillment must be built by you. Focus on the competition, and that competition will throw obstacles in your path at every turn. Focus on creating new value, and the world will enthusiastically push you forward.


"Forget past mistakes. Forget failures.
Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it."
--William Durant, founder of General Motors

2012 Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights Marches

"Each time a gay POZ person finds the closet morally acceptable for himself or others, he degrades himself as gay POZ and sinks to the level of abjection dictated for gays Us by the dominant culture. No gay POZ person with sufficient self-respect and dignity can be required to view himself or other gays Survivors in this way." Richard Mohr/SoBQB01




ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF EVENT &
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE


Creator of Event: LET'S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...It's a start! LGBT EQUALITY
(a facebook + open LGBT Equality group of over 20,000 members; 15,000
publicly listed members & 5,000
closeted & off facebook private members)


Group Creator: Joseph C. Knudson, Published Author & Gay Rights Advocate

(Official Worldwide Affiliate Logo Display)

WE HAVE A DREAM...Help us realize it NOW!

JOIN US 04/21/2012

Event Creator Bio:

An LGBT equality movement comprised of members from all walks of life and of various & diverse sexual orientation and gender identities, in addition to all of our family, friends, and allies. Created for the achievement of basic human rights, inclusive of full legal civil rights allowing freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations while allowing and ensuring one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression. The movement is much more than just a social gathering in the fact that the members initiate equality campaigns, petitions, marches, as well as taking on challenges issued in the process of advancing our rights, in addition to the endorsement, support, and action taking on those equality campaigns initiated by other movements, organizations, and individuals.

Our core mission is to ultimately obtain the aforementioned rights through proper and peaceful channels employing many different vehicles along the way. Strong emphasis being placed on educating and enlightening society and governments worldwide as to our plight and our demand and intent to live within those same laws and guarantees enjoyed equally by all other segments of society worldwide.

We also believe that education is the key to eradicating homophobia worldwide and that through all of our individual and joint efforts we will make a difference and show societies and governments worldwide that we are living the life we were born to live and the life freely intended us to live.

Involved Sub-group of Creator:

LGBT Political Action/Allies/+ subgroup of LET'S REACH 1 M PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...
Comprised of the administrators of the aforementioned creator of event, along with politicians from all levels of government, as well as LGBT & LGBT friendly prominent public figures. Public list of all members, including administrators, available for viewing on the group facebook page of both the parent and sub-group. Note: all member politicians have been personally private messaged with all details of the event with many favorable responses in support.

National Lead Sponsor of Event:

Espresso House Publishing & Distribution, LLC (an Oklahoma privately owned Limited Liability Company)
Initial & preliminary expenses incurred for pre-publicity, feasibility study, document preparation, and legal paid directly by Lead Sponsor with none of those payments made to any committee member nor family & relatives of any committee member.


Public Event Page:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/217923068269572/ (a facebook online public event page)
Numerous user friendly tools available on page, along with a detailed narrative description of the event (click on see more to display the complete narrative)

Preliminary Press Release Dated 10/31/2011:

http://thegaylyblogger.blogspot.com/2011/10/2012-worldwide-lgbt-civil-rights-march.html


International Committee voting Members:
(recently realigned due to European delegate stepping down due to threatening emails, as well as Canadian delegate stepping down due to time constraints, and 2 non-voting field members not listed below)

Joe Knudson, Chairman & Spokesperson
Jonathan Wolfman, Oversight
James Vivian, Administrative
Arturo Shultz, Communications
Marc Holcomb, Location Advisor
Jesse D. Greer, Coordinator of Ancillary Events
Alexander Hope, Head of Public Relations
Isidro Gonzales, Event Advisor

Purpose & Urgency of Event:


This is grassroots organizing of hungry, aggressive, and eager LGBT & LGBT friendly activists, advocates, and all other allies worldwide working at planning and organizing various marches, after parties, watch parties, etc. around the world, with the trust and hope that entire LGBT communities and all LGBT and Human Rights organizations worldwide will put all egos aside and come together in unity for this historic event. This one day, April 21, 2011, our voices will be heard worldwide. The momentum is strong and fierce with recent actions at the United Nations, as well as the recent speech given by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and we must enhance this momentum by going forward with this education and enlightenment to societies and governments worldwide as to our BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS and that the LGBT DEMAND and INTEND to gain our FULL CIVIL RIGHTS NOW! With election year in America upon us, as well as current work taking place for the ultimate passage of omnibus LGBT equality legislation in America, the window of opportunity is upon us and has never been as open as it is now. As our International Committee chairman recently stated to a reporter, "FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION NOW AND FAILURE OF THOSE TO PARTICIPATE IS NOTHING SHORT OF FAILING OUR OWN LGBT COMMUNITIES AND DENYING BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS TO ALL WORLDWIDE!"

Synopsis of Event Structure:


(... LGBT, family, friends, & allies CALL TO ARMS)

The structure is simple; it is Town Hall type of organizing, more so from the bottom up, rather than the top down. It is not one centrally located march, rather a number of marches worldwide, along with other local ancillary events in numerous locations (both march site & non-march site locations) such as private watch parties both on & offline, in addition to public watch parties at local LGBT community centers (both of these sort of a join in & create your own event type of thing for those unable to attend a physical march), as well as after parties upon completion of the march at set locations arranged by Lead Organizer for that march city. Inclusion of the masses, regardless of where, is in the utmost minds of the committee, in addition to introducing and bringing in as Lead Organizers many from the younger generation as well as seasoned individuals as after all, the younger generation is our future of tomorrow. The committee is utilizing extensive online social networking for the success of this event!

We are guiding and assisting these independent Lead Organizers in numerous ways for them to plan and organize these marches in each of their locations. This guidance takes on many forms, such as a continual private message thread on facebook for updates, questions, interactions, etc.; this thread includes all Lead Organizers, along with every member of the International Committee, in addition to any other active LGBT Activist/Advocate so desiring to be a part of this historic event. A set of guidelines/suggestions has been given to each Lead Organizer for use in their planning and organizing: http://thegaylyblogger.blogspot.com/2011/11/guidelinessuggestions-to-help-lead.html

With each Lead Organizer knowing their own location in most every aspect (land area, local & state LGBT organizations, LGBT community centers, LGBT & LGBT friendly businesses, etc.) much better than the International Committee, we felt it important the existence of their own freedom to organize. Many already receiving assistance from their local LGBT community centers, LGBT organizations, and LGBT businesses prove this approach is working; assistance such as organizing fundraisers, donating much needed supplies (one LGBT club even having a designated sign making night with all supplies furnished), etc. Starting the preparations early allow for this involvement of the local community every step of the way while building excitement and riding the momentum up to the huge event. Involvement of the community encourages a more active participation on event day... (an extremely helpful link to assist in locating LGBT community centers across the world is http://www.lgbtcenters.org/ ).

Another great area of assistance many Lead Organizers have found is the total support from the various PFLAG chapters (locate one anywhere in the world at http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=803 ), thus involving the many thousands upon thousands of supportive family and friends that do exist; in addition, certain LGBT friendly churches have offered fundraising assistance for such events (to inquire for specific areas, go to http://www.gaychurch.org/Find_a_Church/find_a_church.htm ).

Lead Organizers are finding unity and cooperation among other LGBT equality organizations for this historic event, with one Lead Organizer in close association with GetEQUAL, an organization that inspires and encourages the LGBT to take that bold action such as we are with these marches! Another group of activists the Lead Organizers are finding very receptive to a coalition for this event is the various Occupy movements around the world; the important thing here is that our organizers contact the local Occupy group in their march site location immediately to get our event on the local Occupy calendar, assuring them while the LGBT lead this event with our demand for FULL CIVIL RIGHTS NOW, they are welcome to include their various demands as well ( http://www.occupytogether.org/ is a great site to locate the Occupy groups in various cities around the world). Every single day unity is being achieved among various LGBT equality organizations as affiliations are continually being formed for this historic event!

With social media at the forefront of mass communications, the committee is utilizing one of the largest social sites in the world, FACEBOOK, to achieve inclusion of the masses. Proving this effectiveness is being achieved at this very early stage with one Lead Organizer having several thousand members in a group designated as their local chapter of the Worldwide Marches, with the availability to set up an individual Event Page for that specific location with mass invites for this historic event; care must be given though so as to not slight the benefit of a broad coalition of those LGBT equality groups and organizations not represented on FACEBOOK. Twitter, LinkedIn, dot429 professional LGBT network, and many others are also being utilized to achieve results.

Registered Lead Organizers & Location of Marches: (additional locations in process of confirming)

Adam Hoover Dayton, OH
Curtis Sledge, Jr. Washington, DC
Michael Connett Northern Kentucky-Greater Cincinnati
Mohammad Azam Pakistan
Noa Francis Shayden Chicago
Dusty Wenk Atlanta
Eyad Alkurabi Albany
Christianne M. Bharath NYC
Marc Holcomb Oklahoma City
Capri Mahaffey Hampton, VA

(each registered lead organizer is assigned a security ID# to verify identification in press releases and media contact, as well as field verification should anyone encountered in planning wish verification with the International Committee)

Fundraising:

The subject was touched briefly above in some of the narrative. To expand, with the structure these marches have taken on, along with the independence advantage bestowed upon each of the Lead Organizers, expenses incurred will be minimal as we are not setting the stage for box office attractions along with their inherent expenses, rather we are setting the stage with enthusiastic and eager diverse individuals from all walks of life, along with our family, friends, and all other allies. WE ARE THE PEOPLE, WE HAVE DEMANDS, and while we may show up with homemade signs and banners, WE WILL BE SHOWING UP! We are NOT trying to impress anyone with fancy paraphernalia, WE ARE MARCHING TO MAKE A BOLD IMPRESSION of our DEMAND and INTENT to GAIN OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, to LIVE WITHIN THE SAME LAWS & GUARANTEES enjoyed by other segments of society. It doesn't take a great deal of money to accomplish this...

The committee found, in the preliminary study prior to launching this event, there are many LGBT owned & LGBT friendly businesses within the local communities more than willing to donate certain services and supplies for an event of this nature; one just needs to find them and ask. Most LGBT communities have local newsletters, e-magazines, etc. that many times have a section in the back listing LGBT owned & LGBT friendly businesses in the area; word of mouth around the community is another great source of information. LGBT churches, clubs, bars, community centers many times will help with supplies for signs and banners; in addition, LGBT clubs and bars encourage fundraising events sponsored by and at their location, as well as the placement of promotional flyers as it draws patrons to their establishment. Additional encouragement for this participation many times is accomplished by scheduling watch parties and after parties at their particular establishment on event day to accommodate those not able to physically attend a march, as well as a place for the marchers to gather after the event (this also works well for those establishments in non-march site locations). When approaching stores for supply donations, it best to mention they are for signs and banners for the Worldwide Human/Civil Rights Marches coming up in the city (Dollar & Thrift stores are great places to approach as well).

The committee did approve the sale of an Official Event T-Shirt; the printing and sales are totally handled by an LGBT owned business out of Atlanta. The company is totally independent of this event, with no committee member nor family or friends of any committee member benefiting from the sales of the T-Shirt. The company has agreed to donate $3.00 (USD) per T-Shirt sold to help defray any allowable ancillary expenses incurred by either a committee member or a registered Lead Organizer in the planning and organizing of this event, providing an original receipt is available detailing the expense. Those incurred expenses should be minimal considering the structure of this event, the aggressive solicitation of donated supplies at each march site location, as well as the availability to each independent Lead Organizer of fundraising efforts at each of their march site locations as touched upon above. The Official Event T-Shirt link is https://www.facebook.com/LGBTCommunityUSA?sk=app_135607783795&fb_source=message

To alleviate the need for extensive and time consuming fundraising revenue distribution and internal controls at the committee level, the committee has reached an agreement with the T-Shirt supplier to submit a report of T-Shirt sales to the committee at the end of each month beginning with January and ending with April; likewise, the Lead Organizers will submit electronic copies of original receipts to the committee at the end of each month for the same time period of any expenses incurred at march site location level that was not either donated or paid for by local fundraisers. The committee will summarize the receipts and send the T-Shirt supplier a list of disbursements to be made to each Lead Organizer, along with any expenses incurred by the committee, by the 15th of the month following month end to the extent fundraising revenue from T-Shirt sales covers those disbursements (any underage or overage of revenue will be carried over to the next month). It is projected and highly anticipated fundraising revenue from T-Shirt sales will far exceed any reimbursement necessary to either Lead Organizers or the committee; any excess will be divided equally and donated to an LGBT charity at the local level chosen by each Lead Organizer, along with any excess of funds from fundraising done, if any, by the Lead Organizer at their local level. It is highly suggested all Lead Organizers promote the Official Event T-Shirt along with the promotion of their own march site location. T-Shirt promotion is not just for march site locations, but worldwide to every location, including all those watch parties, after parties, and other non-march ancillary events.

With each independent Lead Organizer being autonomous in nature, it is their choice, as an independent, as to how they will account and hold fundraising revenue from their own local march site fundraisers to cover their own expenses incurred, if any. A confidential Identification Number has been assigned to each registered Lead Organizer for various reasons with one of those being a way for local march site location individuals encountered to verify and confirm with the committee the legitimacy of each Lead Organizer as a registered Lead Organizer for the 2012 Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights Marches.

Honorary March Leader:

The Gay Reverend Magora E. Kennedy is 100% New York State, suburban and urban. Rev. Magora was born in Albany, New York, the state capital, on September 22, 1938. Rev. Magora, with her minister's collar on, was there the very first night of the Stonewall Rebellion on Friday, June 27, 1969. As our International Committee chairman recently stated in a press release, "I definitely feel a part of the Stonewall Rebellion having visited with Rev. Magora for extended conversations over the telephone on two separate occasions; I could write for hours on what we talked about. As the International Committee Chairman of the 2012 Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights Marches, I was ecstatic when Rev. Magora proudly accepted the title of Honorary March Leader I bestowed upon her on behalf of the committee."
For the complete press release, clink the following link http://thegaylyblogger.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-honorary-march-leader-for-lgbt.html

Proof why this Education & Enlightenment is so vitally important:

One of the administrators of the creator of this event, the International Committee chairman, received a letter a few months back from a US Congressman. This member of Congress had just finished reading a book given to them by one of their constituents. The following statement was made by the politician regarding their view of the rights available to individuals of the LGBT community, as well as the effect the book had upon them.

“I have always respected the rights of an individual to live their life as they see fit within the constraints of the bodies of law within their territorial jurisdiction. With that being said, certain individuals with situations resulting from behavioral and sexual choices due to individual identity are not always allowed these same rights. I have always taken the majority position of those who elected me to office when legislation or decisions of this nature come up. Recently, I have assessed various ways of encouraging those who elect us to educate themselves in this particular area in order that they understand the ramifications that could result when voicing their position if ignorance on any issue is present. This book could be that partial eye opener with the education they need in this area. I see things somewhat differently having read it, giving me the courage to realize an injustice is possibly done to those individuals with varying sexual preference and identity.”

The member of Congress went on to say, “A clerk in the office, who incidentally read the book after I finished, shared with me a group created on facebook. I am sure you are aware that campaigns carried out by collective groups of advocates, on any issue, carry more weight as the number of participants rise. With the aggressive goal of one million, the campaign will carry significant weight, once met, when taken through the proper channels to the target audience.”


A committee comprised of various group members from the creator of this event reviewed some of the details of this letter from the Congressman as the letter contained a challenge issued to the group LET'S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...It's a start! LGBT EQUALITY; this was done to determine if the group wanted to accept the challenge and the committee so decided to take on the challenge with full force of the group. The confidentiality of the politician was requested and is being honored by the group during this challenge period of which the group is still in.

The quotes above from the politician emphasized to this march committee just how important this education and enlightenment process truly is; with a member of our own Congress so acknowledging, we felt it was time to take BOLD action by initiating this event and taking the steps necessary to make these marches a truly historic event in this education and enlightenment process.

A totally separate letter from a different politician, US Senator Dr. Tom Coburn, was made available by the International Committee chairman and it too, shows the need for this education and enlightenment process to take place within the US Government. With it being this necessary in America, the purported World Leader in the advancement of BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, think how important this is to all governments and societies Worldwide. To read this letter, go to
http://thegaylyblogger.blogspot.com/2011/11/us-senator-dr-tom-coburn-informed-or.html

In Closing:

The committee extends our open arms to every single member of society and to all governments worldwide to participate in this historic event and commit not only to yourself, but to all mankind, to the ACHIEVEMENT of BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS for every individual in the world...

If additional information is desired, please contact the International Committee Chairman
joechuckknudson@gmail.com or USA telephone number 405-410-2934.
(EHP, LLC 9/24/2011 all rights reserved & submission of copyright pending)

_________________________________________________________________________

Sex and sensibility - Larry Kramer
In his terribly important new book, Sexual Ecology: AIDS and the Destiny of Gay Men, Gabriel Rotello makes the definitive, airtight case that AIDS in the gay male population is not going away. We've changed, but we haven't changed enough, and because we haven't changed enough, the infection rate continues to be unrelentingly high. All our efforts at education, "safe sex", and behavior modification have been insufficient to keep the gay population from continuing to be destroyed.
Gabriel's book also makes the airtight case -still considered controversial, unfortunately, rather than undeniable- that we brought AIDS upon ourselves by a way of living that welcomed it. You cannot (* have sex) indiscriminately with multiple partners, who are also doing the same, without spreading disease, a disease that has for many years also carried death. Nature always extracts a price for sexual promiscuity.
None of this is new or should be new.
Tragically, not enough of us have responded to this information maturely and responsibly. Too many of us have used almost every conceivable excuse not to face this plague squarely and honestly. We think we know what's safe and unsafe, know all about condoms, know all about these new drugs we've put our faith in so quickly, and we get very irate when the word promiscuity is used.
But nobody is out there saying loud and clear and nonstop: Stop acting like assholes. Start acting like adults. Even in the best of times, an adult does not play Russian roulette with (*genitals).
It's been particularly distressing to me as a writer, as someone who tries very hard to believe he's an artist, to see how almost every other gay writer -as well as journalists, essayists, poets, playwrights, painters, photographers, filmmakers, what have you- has, to my mind, ignored the primary job of being an artist: telling the truth.
What is this truth?
We must create a new culture that is not confined and and centered so tragically on our obsession with our penises and what we do with them.
We have made a culture out of our sexuality, and that culture has killed us...
Isn't it still?
And hasn't it spread to all men who have sex with men?
Is Marriage an attempt to lay the cornerstone of this new culture 7 years later?
_______________________________________________________________________

In regards to copying anything from my sites remember that all of my personal photos and articles are copyrighted. In regard to all other materials I rely on the "Fair Use" copyright law provisions. If you copy anything to reprint make sure that you do too. I ask that you get my permission to reprint any of my personal materials from this site and that you provide a link back to me/this page. Here is the "Fair Use" provision.
"Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.
In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include:
(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work. The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors."

My 21st New Year of Living in The HIVe: 2012!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/travel-tips-and-articles/76941?affil=twit


I Never Expected To Live This Long...
As you know; this year World AIDS Day is the Sunday following Thanksgiving on December 1st, and we are now into the third decade of this global catastrophe. The focus on this years observance is the Stigma and Discrimination of HIV/AIDS. I recently taped an interview for a World AIDS Day program being produced to air on local cable outlets. Sitting here in the living room/office space of My South Bank HIVe, I looked into the camera after being asked my thoughts and replied: "I Never expected to Live This Long". I've been thinking about that ever since. I have been a Witness since the beginning and a survivor for the last eleven years. After I was tested and diagnosed in 1991, I began writing about my experiences and compiling them under the title: "Coming OUT of Hiding: A Retrospective Journey through AIDS..." .

The purpose and goal of this endeavor: To use the rest of my life the best I can so that the people and places through which my journey leads me will remain a little bit better for me having passed their way.
Although we now know that the Virus doesn't discriminate against who it infects anymore, I think that the point that SOCIETY still does is what the theme of Stigma and Discrimination was developed to address. It is that Stigma and Discrimination that continues to present obstacles to an AIDS FREE Generation, HIV Prevention-Education-Testing & Treatment Resources as well as Outreach & Advocacy for an infected persons Human Rights and "Quality of Life" and I fear that the current medical advances and increased longevity have come to sugar coat the reality of Life, and Living, with HIV/AIDS:

From the AIDS Treatment Data Network:
"On Coming Home"
"Home is not a place; it is an attitude. It is an attitude which depends on how much we are able to feel at home with ourselves as well as with others. Home is something which happens to a person; homecoming has less to do with geography than it has to do with a sense of personal integrity or inner wholeness.
The most important of all endeavors in life is to come home. The most terrifying of fears is loneliness. It means that one has become a stranger to himself, and consequently, to others. To be lonely is to feel fear, to be forever unsettled, never at rest, in need of more reassurance than life can give.
Someone truly loves us when he brings us home; when he makes us comfortable with ourselves, when he takes from us the strangeness we feel at being who we are. We are loved when we no longer are frightened with ourselves."
"Dawn Without Darkness" - Anthony Padavano

You don't have AIDS as soon as you're infected with HIV. The disease process takes a while, around 10 years on average. The process goes from being HIV+ without any symptoms or signs of disease to being HIV+ with symptoms to having AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Immune deficiency means that your immune system has been damaged by HIV. A damaged immune system can't protect you from infections as well as a healthy immune system.

Human Rights Equality for PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV & AIDS
Today, organisations of people living with HIV are a key driving force in the response to HIV/AIDS, giving a personal power to people living positively with HIV (the Human Imunodeficiency Virus) and inspiring others to action. In this section, you will find more information about PLHIV campaigns and activities.
HIVer's (PLHIV) are activists, informed patients, care givers, educators, researchers, policy makers, and health care providers. They ask questions, and do not rest before they have an answer or a solution to their challenges. PLHIV are leaders in stopping HIV and show visionary leadership in implementing and supporting prevention, treatment and care.
However, this leadership has not come easy. At the beginning of the epidemic at the Denver AIDS Conference in 1983 people living with HIV had to storm the stage to be heard. The Denver conference signalled the birth of the PLHIV movement, and first articulated the GIPA principle. People living with HIV and AIDS demanded the right to be involved in every level of decision making affecting their lives, and to determine their own agenda. These rights are as valid now as they were then.

"U.S. Supreme Court decision: "Subsequent decisions have held that AIDS is protected as a handicap under law not only because of the physical limitations it imposes, but because the prejudice surrounding AIDS exacts a social death which precedes the actual physical one.
This is the essence of discrimination - formulating opinions about others not based on their individual merits but rather on their membership in a group with assumed characteristics." from the movie "Philadelphia"
2012!? Yoda Vs Vader...
Reconnaisance of the possible roads on The Journey HOME.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Epiphany 2012: 1st First Friday of 2012!

All the Colors, in all the Flags and the Faces of All the Nations, Causes, Countries, Cities, Counties, Corporations, Denominations, Monarchies, Municipalities, Papacys, Religions, Republics, States, Territories can only be found in one place on the Globe...

Advocacy-Education-Support-Outreach-Prevention
-The AESOP Initiative
--------------------------------------------------------------

Do you know how many HIV/AIDS Related ASO's, CBO's, Agencies, Programs with Outreach to the Various "Target Populations & Communities", Non-Profit & Charitable Organizations there are in Our "Greater Cincinnati" Tri-State Region!?  It appeared to me that not many Remembered or Reminded Others of the Significance of "World AIDS Day" Across the Nation and Around the Globe!? There seems to be a Lack of that More Coordinated National Response to the HIV Epidemic in the United States...
 
Now that World AIDS Day and the First TGIF & Weekend of Our National HIV/AIDS Awareness Month has come and gone; I'd like to share with you what I Think, how I Feel and what I See happening as We the People attempt to Follow the National HIV/AIDS Strategy...
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Greetings from the South Bank HIVe!

World AIDS Day has a special place in the history of the AIDS pandemic. Since 1988 1st December has been a day bringing messages of compassion, hope, solidarity and understanding about AIDS to every country in the world, North and South, East and West.
"World AIDS Day @ the World PEACE Bell" as an Event and Location was the Opportunity to Come OUT, Stand UP and Express Your Support for Getting Down to "ZERO" New Infections, Discrimination, Stigma on the Journey to an AIDS Free Generation...
"...Since WAD was instituted I've seen it go from a consciousness raising event to an occasion where everyone says "yes, well, it's all terribly sad, but..." "Don't Wait until World Aids Day to do something about aids: do it now." Steve-

He's right, of course, and that's what I've been trying to do, everyday with every breath I take. But as I said, "Somedays, Life in the HIVe's a Bitch!". That's why I still have to believe that World AIDS Day is important. Perhaps for no other reason than it does make Joe Public think about AIDS a little bit more than normal. However, the ultimate goal is to prevent HIV infections from occurring in the first place.

"AIDS is a war against humanity...
this is a war that requires the mobilization
of entire populations." Nelson Mandela

The Biggest Obstacle to an End of AIDS or Cure for HIV in the United States is American Indifference! Beyond the Freedom to Hate & Discriminate that we Pride ourselves on, the Greed of BigPharma for profits and the struggle for Job Security & Funding in the AIDS Bureaucracy which evolved from the early Volunteer/Activist Groups; seems to me that things like the Ryan White Care ACT, ADAP and all the Talk and Notice that HIV/AIDS get have created a BACKLash as Green as Ky Bluegrass from Americans who are suffering and surviving from the other "Chronic Manageable Diseases"!?
While society elevates the status of those receiving treatment for some conditions such as cancer or serious injuries as heroes, those who have acquired HIV are subjected to layers upon layers of stigma with assumptions that these individuals are deserving of punishment for their “assumed behavior that led them to get HIV” and they are often shunned."
While there are many illnesses such as leprosy that have been severely stigmatized in the past, it is generally agreed that HIV/AIDS is (& Remains) the most stigmatized medical condition in the history of mankind.
GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS TO HELP LEAD ORGANIZERS PREPARE FOR THE MARCH IN THEIR LOCATION/COUNTRY
2012 Worldwide Human Rights March
(all rights to this event protected & reserved by EHP, LLC 9/24/2011)
AN ESPRESSO HOUSE EVENT...
YOUR MARCH LOCATION & YOUR LEAD ORGANIZER SHOULD BE REGISTERED FIRST (if you haven't returned the registration form emailed to you earlier, take the time and do so now before you proceed...THANKS)
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL:THESE GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS ARE BY NO MEANS INTENDED TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE OR NECESSARILY THE ONLY WAY TO GO ABOUT PLANNING FOR THE MARCH IN YOUR LOCATION; THEY ARE JUST WHAT THEY ARE...SUGGESTIONS & GUIDELINES! EACH SITE LOCATION & EACH LEAD ORGANIZER ARE DIFFERENT AND BY ALL MEANS EMPLOY WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOUR PARTICULAR LOCATION &/OR COUNTRY.
HOWEVER, THE TEN MUSTS IN A MARCH (shown below) SHOULD BE FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY AS WE ARE REPRESENTING THE LGBT SEGMENT OF SOCIETY AND WE MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AS WELL AS WE HAVE SPONSORS WHO HAVE GRACIOUSLY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT AND WE NEED TO RESPECT THEM AND THE FACT WE ARE REPRESENTING THEM AS WELL...
Our goal in organizing these marches is to reach out to as many people as possible with the intention of persuading them to stand with us in our battle of demanding FULL CIVIL RIGHTS for the LGBT, including Marriage Equality. It is important to remember that we are not only fighting the laws with these marches, but are also fighting the stigma and stereotypes that the opposition paints us with. The image we present to the public can and does have an enormous impact on the effectiveness of our marches and in some cases, it could even affect our own personal safety. This includes not only interactions with media, law enforcement or other officials, but with spectators as well.

OVERVIEW OF RIGHT TO MARCH: (each country will have different stated/implied rights)
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution specifically allows peaceful marches and the freedom of assembly as part of a measure to facilitate the redress of grievances. Amendment I: Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The majority of countries worldwide, along with a somewhat non-committal backing of the United Nations, allow for such marches (please check with your individual state department of your own country for more information if desired).
Now originally, the First Amendment applied only to laws enacted by the Congress. However, starting with GITLOW v. New York, 268 US 652 (1925), in a series of cases, the Supreme Court has held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment applies the First Amendment to each state, including any local government. The city, county or state CAN MAKE NO LAW, policy or code that can supersede our Federal Right to Assemble and Petition for Redress of Grievances.
PERMITS:
Not all locations necessarily will require a permit to march, so immediately call the municipality of the desired march site inquiring if one is needed. You will need an estimate of how many people are going to show up as well as the route taken and the date and time. You will have to fill out an application ahead of time and possibly pay a small fee.
In researching numerous logs of marches, many organizers of marches have gotten away without getting a permit due to the way they performed the march. If the march is generally conducted on a public sidewalk or designated walk/jog route and you are not blocking traffic and observe all traffic lights and do not block doorways to businesses and stay in flow with the general public pedestrian traffic moving around the city, you will have no problem without a permit.

THE KEY HERE IS THAT YOU CANNOT STOP AND HOLD UP ANYTHING AND MUST KEEP MOVING, EVEN IF IT'S JUST GOING CONTINUALLY AROUND AND AROUND A DESIGNATED BLOCK OR BLOCKS FOR THE MARCH & YOU MUST OBEY ALL WALK & GO TRAFFIC LIGHTS!
If a permit is required for a special route or location, be sure to have at least someone at the front, middle, and rear of the march carry a copy of the permit with them. Lead Organizers need to start planning at least two to three months ahead of the march date of 4/21/2012, not only for adequate preparation, but in case a permit is required, even though the process of application and obtaining a permit can generally be accomplished within a matter of days. The earlier you start, the better and more prepared you will be for your location. USA ONLY- In the DC area, you will most likely need a permit as it is more difficult to get by without one, but some have in the past...just call the National Parks Permit Office (202) 245-4715 and they can fax you a permit application; in this area call immediately and proceed, as if your desired route is not available for 4/21/2012, you may have to change your route. The National Parks Permit Office will take care of notifying the District of Colombia Police and other city organizations that require special events notification. It's that simple!
TEN MUSTS IN A MARCH:
1. All actions are nonviolent
2. Stay together
3. Stay behind any cops if they present themselves along your route
4. Don't throw anything
5. Don't communicate with the police at all & comply with their requests immediately
6. Designate crowd leaders to be responsible for keeping the marchers in line
7. Be polite, pleasant, & smile; do not engage in disagreements or shouting matches with spectators or passersby
8. Dress appropriately, be sure to wear clean neat clothing; avoid t-shirts with vulgarities & no drastically revealing clothing - THIS IS NOT A GAY PRIDE PARADE BY ANY MEANS
9. Do not bring alcohol, weapons, or any illegal substances; do not come to the march intoxicated
10. The 2012 Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights Marches are not exercises in civil disobedience, but are exercises of freedom of speech and public marches. We do not wish for any of our supporters to put themselves at risk of being arrested.
PLANNING & ORGANIZING YOUR MARCH:
1. Check & arrange for PERMIT, if needed (see above)
2. Plan your march route wisely; pick a popular & highly visible route (most permit applications require the route on application)
3. Recruit a highly visible LGBT or LGBT friendly individual to LEAD the march
4. Help deliver our message of Full Civil Rights for the LGBT, including Marriage Equality with signs, banners, & the use of a megaphone (best to only have one megaphone as if many, the messages are not clear to the listeners/spectators along the route & usually it best for the march leader to carry the megaphone)
5. Promote your local march...(do it early & all the way up to & including the day of the march)
a. put up flyers in your area everywhere (especially LGBT & LGBT friendly establishments)
b. contact all media in your area (radio & TV stations, local talk shows, local newspapers & publications, etc.; contact them early & give them plenty of lead time) and formally invite them to the march and let them know you are available for both pre- and post-interviews
c. utilize all online social media avenues
d. use press releases to update your area on the upcoming march
e. USE THE RESOURCES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR ASSISTANCE
6. Don't just trust the media to take pictures of the event, be sure you have a couple marchers take plenty of pictures of the march and the crowd that day
7. Each marcher should carry with them copies of flyers detailing what we want (demands for full Civil Rights for the LGBT, including Marriage Equality; if there are other specific demands for your own individual city/state/province/area/country where your march is held, as long as they relate to equality for the LGBT, please use this event to include those as well) to hand out to those spectators along the route or anyone else who may ask for information
8. Get people to the march; not just participants in the march, but spectators as well (promoting the march, #5 above, will help in getting both there)
9. Utilize the Steps to Get Active & Participate in the "more info" section of the event page
@ https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=217923068269572
10. HAVE A BLAST
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Attended the 1st OCCUPY Northern Kentucky event today... Gave them the April date for their Calendars.
Joe Knudson: That is AWESOME Michael, thanks!
Michael Connett: I'm promoting this as a WorldWide Human Rights March being organized & led by the LGBT Community...
Joe Knudson: That will work as well buddy! Actually, that is a great way to put it and I love the idea!
Michael Connett: in ALLIANCE with the HIV Community. It's really all about The Force and The Dark Side struggling to change minds and win the hearts of the masses stuck in the middle. Listen to the President's remarks when he Presented the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in July 2010, and then listen to both of Hilary's recent speeches from Geneva - Human Rights & Freedom Online.

Hi Joe! Unfortunately, it looks as if "World AIDS Day @ the World PEACE Bell" has fizzled... We were blind-sided by the "Non-Profit" Cincy ASO with the ODPH contract to administer Federal Funding & Programs who landed a World Premiere showing of "We Were Here" and scheduled it also at 6pm and in Covington... As someone who's been in the fight Long-Term I've shared it reluctantly; but Truth be told, Non-Profit Agencies can only use their "UnRestricted" funds to service Out-of-State clients. According to our National HIV/AIDS Strategy; Ryan White Care Act & Federal $$ are disbursed to the States to be administered only for the Benefit of State Residents... The majority of UnRestricted funds raised by events such as the "AIDS Walk" go to pay for things like Staff, Office Space, etc that Federal $$ can't be used for; leaving little to no $$ for providing Advocacy, Education & Support programs and services for the unfunded, untested, untreated, uneducated majority of the populus in the Greater Cincinnati/Tri-State area! Anyway, just wondering if you have everything you need from me for the March!? Let me know... Michael

PRELIMINARY PRESS RELEASE
There is currently scheduled a Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights March in 2012 that is already gathering sponsors and supporters by the thousands, as well as initial LEAD ORGANIZERS from around the world. The march will be held worldwide at various locations at the same time, as well as an online news media event that will keep everyone posted on the events at all locations. This event has been created by the fastest growing LGBT Equality group around, with members from around the world:
LET'S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...It's a start! LGBT EQUALITY @

Our international committee, publicist, and legal counsel on retainer have been working several months in the preliminary preparations for this Historic Worldwide LGBT Event and we have recently selected LEAD ORGANIZERS for a few of the locations worldwide with many area locations still open at the moment. We are working a Coalition with the various Occupy Movements with the LGBT in the LEAD on this one and are getting favorable responses, as well as favorable responses from all LGBT Occupy & Equality Affiliates, LGBT Organizations and most other LGBT Groups from around the world!

This is an event that everyone needs to put aside all differences and come together as one unified LGBT Community, along with our straight allies, as this event will definitely drive home the point WORLDWIDE that the LGBT are poised to DEMAND and ACQUIRE our FULL CIVIL RIGHTS that all other sectors of society enjoy, as well as LIVE WITHIN THE SAME LAWS and GUARANTEES enjoyed by all other citizens, including MARRIAGE EQUALITY. Egos have no place in this event.

All PARTICIPANTS/LEAD ORGANIZERS will be recognized and included, along with all major events of the march and coverage thereof, in a Published Book with all rights already secured and will be made available FREE (for a limited time) to all schools requesting a copy for inclusion in their school library. Current sponsor commitments must be adhered to, which includes, but not limited to, the Registration of all participating organizations with the intent to participate in this Historic Event, along with the LEAD ORGANIZER for that area, on the following event page (instructions for registration included in the "More Info" section on the event page).

Here is a portion of correspondence sent to many of the local Occupy Movement Affiliates (for your use if desired):
The LGBT people desire your assistance. While there are thousands of LGBT individuals who support and are there for the OCCUPY MOVEMENTS in many, many locations, the majority of our direct issues are not talked about in the media or elsewhere as LGBT issues are not being singled out due to the main economic policies being advocated at the OCCUPY MOVEMENTS helping all, including the LGBT. The LGBT will be having our own 2012 Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights March everywhere around the world at the same time and we really desire and welcome your assistance and participation in these marches. We are extending an open invitation to all OCCUPY ACTIVISTS to participate in these marches around the world and while the lead in these marches will be the LGBT, we welcome your involvement and coalition to benefit your issues as well.
We have already sent letters and emails out to some of the more well known LGBT Activists and others in numerous areas worldwide to garner their support and the response has been phenomenal!

We have had a few question the March being held on April 21, 2012, the day before Earth Day on April 22, 2012. This was carefully planned and selected with the following statement made by our publicist:

How appropriate is the 2012 WORLDWIDE LGBT Civil Rights MARCH to be on April 21, 2012, the day before EARTH DAY on April 22, 2012; DIFFERENT DAYS, but the VERY SAME WEEKEND. It is EXTREMELY appropriate.

2012 is the 42nd Anniversary of EARTH DAY and 2012 is also the 42nd Anniversary of the very First GAY PRIDE PARADE taking place in New York City with more than 2,000 LGBT marching (which just happened to be the 1 year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising)!

EARTH DAY 2012 promotes environmental awareness and will focus on BUILDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT & ENGAGING NEW ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS AROUND THE GLOBE!
The 2012 WORLDWIDE HUMAN -LGBT & HIV Civil Rights- MARCH will focus on the RENEWED LGBT MOVEMENT & ENGAGING LGBT CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AROUND THE GLOBE!
There is NO BETTER TIME to have the 2012 WORLDWIDE LGBT Civil Rights MARCH and the timing of it on the same weekend (but different days) of EARTH DAY 2012 is NOT ONLY EXTREMELY APPROPRIATE, but will show the WORLD the importance of PROTECTING BOTH THE EARTH and its INHABITANTS EQUALLY, as well as show the WORLD the importance of PROTECTING the UNALIENABLE BIRTH RIGHT of every being living together on PLANET EARTH!
Committee Chairman of the 2012 WORLDWIDE LGBT Civil Rights March - Joe (J.C.) Knudson
-Creator of the group, LET'S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...It's a start! LGBT EQUALITY*
-Gay Rights Advocate/Activist
-Campaign Coordinator for LGBT Events and Petitions for the advancement of Gay Rights
-Author of best selling book, Living the Difference: an enlightening story revealed for people of all ages straight or gay
-Honored Member of Stanford Who's Who
-Member of MoveOn.org Political Activism
-Proud supporter of SAGE
-Proud supporter of the ACLU
-Proud supporter of the HRC
-Creator of the sub-group, LGBT Political Action**, a forum for LGBT & LGBT Friendly politicians and public figures from around the world
-Proud member and supporter of The American Equality Bill (AEB) Project - SO+GI Civil Rights Now!
-Proud endorser and supporter of GetEQUAL
-Proud member and supporter of National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
-Proud member and supporter of Connecting Rainbows (a borderless, democratic collective of LGBT activists and allies, with no hierarchy and a mission to create a mass movement demanding full civil rights for LGBT people everywhere) *Recently publicized group that was issued a challenge from a US Congressman **A sub-group of LET'S REACH 1 MILLION PEOPLE CAMPAIGN...It's a start! LGBT EQUALITY

ADDITIONAL PRESS RELEASES WILL BE FORTHCOMING DETAILING LEAD ORGANIZERS, WORLDWIDE LOCATIONS, PLANNING AFFILIATES, ETC.

ALL INQUIRIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: joechuckknudson@gmail.com
OR POSTED ON THE EVENTS PAGE
(photo courtesy of dreamstime.com)
(all rights to this event protected & reserved by EHP, LLC 9/24/2011)
AN ESPRESSO HOUSE EVENT...
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