Go Out There and GOTV!

George McGovern encourages us to get get our family and friends and neighbors out there on Tuesday June 3.

Go forth!!

Where do I vote? What's on my ballot?
Please share this voter information link!

qurl.com/9v9zj

Obama just down the road from Robbinsdale

You can read about what Obama said in Rapid City this morning in the RC Weekly News online. Kudos to Tom Lawrence for a great article.

It was a fabulous event. You can read more about it and look at pictures over at Badlands Blue, where I posted lots of pictures of the event, including sightings of the many Pennington County Democrats I ran across there.

The event was a huge thrill. I hope that this race is over soon, so the Obamamaniancs and Clintonistas can join forces to cause a further progressive seismic shift this fall. Be sure and vote (Monday at the courthouse, or Tuesday at your local polling place.)
Pennington county voters have election information (including sample ballots) online at www.votepennco.com

SDFPC warns of Gay Homo**xuals

The South Dakota Family Policy Council has another email blast out yesterday:

Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:50 PM
Subject: Primary Election Update: Hom**exual rights PAC Endorse Candidates

Equality South Dakota PAC, Homosexual Rights Political Action Committee Endorses Candidates for SD Legislature

The following is taken from the Equality South Dakota website: Equaltiy (sic) South Dakota is a statewide advocacy organization developed by men and women across South Dakota who are dedicated to achieving equality for all people with respect to their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Equality South Dakota (EqSD) describes as its mission to secure, protect, and support the rights and the well being of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) South Dakotans and their families.

Terrifying, aren't we?

I initially thought they were trying to keep from titillating teenagers, but I assume they put the stars in Homo**xual (cute, isn't it?) to keep spam filters from blocking their email.

Ewww.

This was just so gross I had to share it.

As Oil Prices Soar, Restaurant Grease Thefts Rise

The South Dakota Family Policy Council is CONCERNED

It's important to note that this email went out this weekend to the SDFPC core mailing list, and is not available on their website.

The tone of this email is instructive and encouraging... calls to arms against vulnerable minority South Dakotans to make political points just doesn't have the traction it used to, I guess....

----- Original Message -----
From: info@sdfamily.org
Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2008 6:50 PM
Subject: June 3rd Primary: BE INFORMED! Lead your church to vote Biblical values.

South Dakota Family Policy Council
Voter Guide and Voter Registration Updates

The June 3rd Primary - 10 Days Away!

• That's just 2 Sundays to distribute this information to church members!

This year the Pro-homosexual, Pro-abortion Lobby Groups are working hard to gain influence in the South Dakota State Legislature.

• Primary Elections are important to every interest group.
  
• Values Voters must support traditional family values.
  
• Please note: Party affiliation is not an indicator of a candidate's value system. Our responsibility is to know which candidates most closely align with our Biblical Christian Worldview, and support them.
  
• Equality South Dakota, a pro-homosexual rights lobby group, is offering $$ financial support to those candidates that support their views on homosexual-rights legislation.
  

Note: Forward this important information to your family and friends.

Please pray and then vote for those candidates that most closely align with your values.

God's blessings on you.

Voter Guides are ready to be viewed!!

You can view the Voter Guide by going to our website www.sdfamily.org and clicking on the Voter Guide-2008 Primary tab on the left hand side.

Paid for by South Dakota Family Policy Council

Hmm.

I hear the anti-homophobia and anti-government control of our lives folks are out in force too.

Obama Foreign Policy Tour Wednesday

Very close to Robbinsdale, there will be a great insight into what an Obama Presidency will look like in the foreign policy arena. I recommend all Robbinsdale residents to come find out why they should deliver South Dakota's delegates for Obama in November.

Foreign Policy Tour Rapid Stop

with Timothy Roemer, Denis McDonough and Dr. Susan Rice

Wednesday, May 28th at 11:00 am-12:15 pm
School of Mines, Surbeck Center, Bump Lounge
Rapid City, SD

RSVP—605-399-2008, or online here: http://qurl.com/svdqp

About the speakers

Timothy J. (Tim) Roemer (wikipedia bio) is the current president of the Center for National Policy (CNP), a national security think-tank located in Washington, D.C. He is also a distinguished scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, a nonprofit research and educational institution dedicated to improving public policy outcomes. Prior to joining CNP, Roemer was a partner at Johnston and Associates.

Denis McDonough is one of the campaign’s top foreign policy advisors and has worked extensively on legislation related to the war on terrorism, the response to the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, Iraq and the greater Middle East. He previously served as Majority Leader Tom Daschle’s Senior Foreign Policy Advisor and Senator Ken Salazar’s Legislative Director. He received his Bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College in Minnesota and received his Master’s degree from Georgetown University.

Susan Rice is Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies and Global Economy and Development Programs at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Her work there encompasses a wide range of issues related to U.S. foreign and national security policy. Dr. Rice previously served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in the Clinton Administration, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs and Director for International Organizations and Peacekeeping at the National Security Council. Dr. Rice is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Strategy Group and serves as a board member for several influential international policy organizations. She received her B.A. in History from Stanford University and her M asters and Doctoral degrees in International Relations from Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.

Memorial Day and our Christian Founding Fathers (and mothers)

Bob Ellis of Dakota Voice and I got into it about the Founding Fathers again in some back-and-forth comments this morning... Ellis said:

However, only glaring ignorance or brazen dishonesty can deny that the Founders of the United States were predominately Christians and that the country was founded on Christian ideals and precepts with a Christian worldview in mind when they did so.

Bob, I believe you "misunderestimate" the radicalism and promise of the American political experiment. And the power of an idea our brave citizens have fought and continue to fight for (much on my mind this weekend).

Note: If you are reading this and are active duty or a veteran, or have one in your family, THANK YOU!! Especially thanks to you South Dakota National Guardsman serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the family on the home front. I am in awe of your committment to your country and have you in my thoughts and prayers this weekend.

The Founders of the USA were doing a totally new thing. They did accept the Enlightenment, and although they were mostly (with the exception of Thomas Paine) Christians of one stripe or another, and decidedly had strong faith and Christian values, they set out to do something entirely new, explicitly invoking the Enlightenment concept of Natural Law above religious and political authority. The genius of America is that this (very brave) act changed history, giving the keys to our society to everyone, not just those that belonged to the currently-favored religious, cultural, social, and economic club.

This was a wonderful gift to the world which we should celebrate always.

Compare the Mayflower Compact:

In the name of God, amen. We, whose names are underwritten . . . having undertaken for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and the honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the Ends aforesaid.

to the Preamble to the US Constitution:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

God bless our soldiers and families, their sacrifice, and the United States of America.

Amen!

poetry today

Feeling artsy and reflective today in the face of possible coming political theatre in District 32 (Elli may be back!)

About The Lie Project

Bob Ellis came by and asked:

I'm curious as to specifically what parts of the Truth Project you consider to be lies? And on what basis you might make such an assertion?

My answer, Bob, is this:

The core point of view presented by The Lie Project seems to be: All Those Godless Scientists and Psychologists Are Lying To You About Everything So You Should Listen To Us Biblically-Based Christian Smart Guys in Turtlenecks and Suit Jackets Like Dr. Del Tackett (he looks a little like Jed Clampett dressed up, hmm) Because We True Christians© Are Smart And Will Tell You The Inerrant Truth About Geology, Paleontology, Psychology, and Even Faith.

This is a huge lie because (1) the very value of the Bible is that its beauty and truth transcends and illuminates anything we learn in science, and (2) the very value of science is that it is based on doubt and objectivity and tells us things Scripture simply cannot. When you hear about a scientific issue being re-investigated, it isn't because the idea is necessarily wrong, that's just what scientists do.

Pushing a Big Lie of an "alternative" faith and science custom-crafted for "Us Real Christians" cheapens both. It also has the side effect of damaging our relationship with other Christians, other humans, and creation.

After 25 years of these reactionary, exclusionist ideas (many of them based on ignorance of the nature of science) being proclaimed as "post-post-modern thought," this scientist and Christian has had it and now tries to speak up for the value of good science and good theology at every opportunity.

The Bible clearly teaches that π equals 3.000 (1 Kings 7:23, you can look it up). I praise God He gave us other ways to learn about the world (and other folks to learn it from than Focus On The Family).

If you are ready to learn from Dr. Del Tackett, it's a free country, don't let me stop you. The South Dakota Family Policy Council is setting up classes right here in Rapid City. They'd love to sign you up.

Equality South Dakota PAC Endorses Candidates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Released May 19, 2008
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Epp at 605.351.5021 or eqsdpac@gmail.com
EqSD PAC Endorses South Dakota Primary Candidates
SD LGBT Community and Its Friends Becoming More Politically Active

For the first time in South Dakota electoral history, a state LGBT group has given political action money to state legislative candidates.

Equality South Dakota PAC (EqSD PAC) has recently provided over $5,000 in funding to both Republican and Democratic candidates involved in the June 3, 2008 South Dakota primary. Full details of all candidates provided funding can be found after May 23, 2008 on the South Dakota Secretary of State's website in the EqSD PAC's pre-primary contribution report.

This is huge. With a PAC in action and Equality South Dakota speaking to the issues, no one in the legislature can claim there no one cares when the SDFPC comes to take children away from gay adoptive parents, withhold GLBT-led families from legal protection, or allow discrimination in housing or employment simply because they have a problem with who they love. As hard as they work to confuse people with efforts like The Lie Project, the truth WILL win out.

Rock and roll. Love God, love your neighbor.

(More details here.)

South Dakota ponders the California Supreme Court's decision

What this means for us in South Dakota is unclear as yet, although Equality South Dakota is certainly rejoicing for California's marriage equality decision and hopeful for the future here.

This is very good news.

I recommend these good words about the California decision from Walking With Integrity from Integrity President Rev. Susan+ Russell

While yesterday's positive action by the California Court was not completely unexpected, I think it is safe to say the scope of the ruling surpassed what had even been hoped for. For those unfamiliar with the journey we've traveled to this point in California on the issue of marriage equality, here's a note from Integrity's Field Organizer, Jan Adams:

We need to kill the meme that this decision has anything to do with "judicial activism." The legislature, twice, has passed bills approving gay marriage rights. That's legislative action. The only reason those bills did not become law is that the Governor, the executive, vetoed them, deferring to the Court.
Now that the Court has spoken, the executive says he will not oppose the decision. Gay marriage has made the rounds of the system and jumped the normal procedural hurdles. Now we may need a vote of the people -- a campaign we are forced to struggle through. But that will only be AFTER we've played by all the rules. Our opponents want to change the rules because they don't like the outcome the rules have rendered.

Sounding vaguely familiar? Why yes it is -- because it's the same "change the rules when you don't like the outcome" strategy the schismatics have used in the Episcopal Church, attempting to shift the debate they lost on the American Church playing field to the global Anglican Communion.

GSA meeting at Center West

One of the coolest things happening at the Center West recently is the formation of a community Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). It's very difficult in this part of the world for GSA's to get going, and the fact is they save lives.

If you are a young person that is ready to take action against discrimination or bullying directed against you or your friends, this is the group for you. Here are the details; please forward the info along!

Weekly meeting for the Black Hills area Gay Straight Alliance at the Center West, 4pm on Saturday May 10th. On the agenda will be discussions about summer events, new LGBT teen center, upcoming pride festival, etc. Open to all LGBT youth, their friends and supporters. We need as many as can make it.

Michael M. Coats, Director
The Center West
3601 Canyon Lake Dr.
Suite 4
Rapid City, SD 57702
605-348-3244
info@thecenterwest.org
http://lavenderworldrc.blogspot.com/

Obama Night at Thirsty's

A bunch of PenDems had an exciting evening at Thirsty's, spending the evening watching Obama win North Carolina and watching Indiana, narrow, narrow, narrow.

Some of them are still there, waiting for the final answer...

David Gregory just said, on MSNBC

The end game is in sight.

Obama staff Kimberly Henderson (Dist 33 House candidate!!) and Melissa Ness (wo)man the table at Thirsty's tonight.



Precinct Committeeman Larry Mintzlaff gets a hug from the candidate he will deliver in Robbinsdale's fighting 1-4, Bethany Wojahn (District 32 House Dem candidate).

It was a great night!!