Bigot Bell - Episode 1 - We Have a Problem

Connecting Rainbows Members Launch Parody YouTube Campaign Against Taco Bell

The LGBTQ civil rights group Connecting Rainbows has announced a world-wide boycott of Yum! Brands restaurants following a case of alleged employment discrimination against a member of Connecting Rainbows.

In April 2011, Jason Smith, an openly gay employee of Taco Bell in Louisiana, who is a member of Connecting Rainbows, was dismissed from his job, after another employee made a threat against Mr. Smith based on his sexual orientation. A Taco Bell manager witnessed the threat. After Mr. Smith was dismissed, Taco Bell conditioned Mr. Smith’s return to his job only after Mr. Smith deleted each of his Facebook profile and the entire website of Connecting Rainbows, the former which Mr. Smith refused, and the latter over which Mr. Smith has no control. Connecting Rainbows is a democratic collective of LGBTQ activists and allies, with no hierarchy.

To read more about the incident, please read Mr. Smith’s own description of the events on Connecting Rainbows website.

Connecting Rainbows is outraged by this discriminatory treatment and has launched a parody campaign that lampoons Taco Bell for its apparent bigotry.

To spread word of the injustice that Mr. Smith has suffered, members of Connecting Rainbows launched a petition on Change.org, to publicise Mr. Smith’s plight.

Connecting Rainbows demands that :

• Yum! Brands restaurants apologize to Jason and the LGBT community;
• Rehire Mr. Smith and provide a hostile-free work environment, or compensate Jason for his loss of income and other damages; and
• Provide diversity and cultural competency training to every employee -- worldwide!

Connecting Rainbows also demands legislative remedies :

• Connecting Rainbows demands that Congress amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include ‘’sexual orientation’’ and ‘’gender identity’’ to the major forms of discrimination that are outlawed ; and
• Connecting Rainbows also demands that federal legislators pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (''ENDA''). ENDA is routinely introduced in Congress, but never passed. It is time for Congress to prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Connecting Rainbows is a group of active people organizing civil rights walks and other actions in America. The group’s mission is to create a mass movement, demanding full civil rights for LGBT Americans. Connecting Rainbows uses the power of a social media platform, where people create online profiles, meet others, plan events, join groups, blog, and participate in online forums.

Visit : http://connectingrainbows.ning.com/ or http://www.bigotbell.com/

Man Licking Shoes on New York Subway

Man Licking Shoes on New York Subway

After the Spaghetti Eating Scandal in the New York City subway, now comes this YouTube video : a man giving his shoes a spit polish by licking them clean.

What's next, is somebody going to make a YouTube of Mayor Bloomberg riding the subway ?

Gov. Cuomo to LGBTQ New Yorkers : You're (Not) Getting Married Today

Was ''Marriage Equality'' just another fairy tale ''promise'' by Candidate Andrew Cuomo to be faithful to the LGBTQ community -- the way straight people recite their wedding vows to one another, nowadays, only to father babies with their maids ?

Because of campaign promises, everybody has been expecting New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to use his political capital to lobby for the passage of a marriage equality law by the New York state legislature.

The reality is that, now, marriage equality activists are losing patience with Gov. Cuomo, because he seems to be backpedalling. Over two months ago, Gov. Cuomo ''vowed'' to make a personal ''push'' for a marriage equality law.

Gov. Cuomo's marriage proposal was met with a resounding, ''Yes,'' because, for this engagement, he got down on one knee and opened a little velvet box : ''Mr. Cuomo’s commitment to using his political savvy and muscle could give advocates something they had long lacked: a unifying, persuasive leader who understands the wiles and ways of Albany,'' reported The New York Times.

But since making his proposal in March, LGBTQ New Yorkers have been left standing at the alter, waiting for Gov. Cuomo to show up at our wedding.

Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club - Queer Rising - Marriage Equality Press Release - Gov. Cuomo

Under the weight of heavy social opression that suffocates all LGBTQ New Yorkers -- including closeted gay legislators such as Sen. Carl Kruger, who is now facing corruption charges -- now come LGBT affinity groups such as the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and Queer Rising to demand that Gov. Cuomo read up on wedding etiquette.

Another LGBT civil rights group, Connecting Rainbows, has already turned up the pressure on key ''NO'' vote senators, such as Sen. Shirley Huntley, who claims she is ''inbetween'' on equality.

In the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., :

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

(See also Andy Humm's poignant letter to the editor of The New York Times, which was reprinted by Michael Musto in The Village Voice.)

When Gov. Cuomo first made public his wedding announcement, LGBTQ New Yorkers celebrated, as if the trip down the isle was going to be imminent. Haven't we been invited to a similar fairy tale wedding before ? The wedding song that keeps getting played over and over is Stephen Sonheim's ''(Not) Getting Married Today'' from the musical, Company.

When are we going to hear Felix Mendelssohn's ''Wedding March'' from A Midsummer Night's Dream ?

Shirley Huntley Corruption Scandal

New York State Sen. Shirley Huntley, who is ''inbetween on equality,'' faces multiple corruption investigations.

Sen. Shriley Huntley (D-Queens) was among the state senators, who voted to deny marriage equality in 2009. Now, she is facing two corruption investigations for steering $400,000 in taxpayer money to shady ''non-profit'' groups that are connected to her and to her family.

First, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating Sen. Huntley for directing thousands of dollars in discretionary ''member item'' budget monies to questionable non-profit groups.

Now, Sen. Huntley has received a federal subpoena in connection with a new investigation of her use of the New York State Legislature's scandalous ''member item'' system of budgetary earmarks that are constantly used by legislators to reward political allies -- and to enrich themselves.

After a previous vote for marriage equality failed in the New York Senate, activists said that they would target Democratic legislators, like Sen. Huntley, who voted against marriage equality.

A Look at Christine Quinn's Record on LGBT Issues

Protest Against Christine Quinn - A Look at Quinn's LGBT Record

In 2005, Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered lawyers for New York City to appeal the trial court ruling issued by New York Supreme Court Judge Doris Ling-Cohen, who decided that marrying the person of one's own choosing was both a privacy right and a liberty right. If he really believed in marriage equality, why did Mayor Bloomberg appeal Judge Ling-Cohen's ruling ?

If City Council Speaker Christine Quinn really believed in LGBT civil rights, why did she change term limits in 2008 to reward Mayor Bloomberg with a third term in office ?

Watch has how protesters talk to one of Speaker Quinn's campaign donors -- and convince him to leave Speaker Quinn's fundraiser.

Even though some groups discriminate against LGBT New Yorkers, Speaker Quinn defends using city taxpayer money to support those hate groups.

More and more, as New Yorkers learn about Speaker Quinn's record, they, too, will walk away from her mayoral campaign.

Taco Bell Discrimination Petition

Yum! Brands Employee at Taco Bell in Louisiana is Dismissed Because He is Gay

The LGBT civil rights group Connecting Rainbows is calling for a world-wide boycott of Yum! Brands restaurants.

Jason Ray Smith, a gay employee of Taco Bell restaurant in Bossier City, Louisiana, was dismissed from work because he was honest about his sexual orientation on his Facebook profile and on his Connecting Rainbows profile.

Members of Connecting Rainbows have started an online petition on Change.org, demanding that Taco Bell institute cultural competency training.

Mr. Smith was told he needed to be taken out to the corn field and have the gay beaten out of him. When he reported it, Mr. Smith was harassed and intimidated by Taco Bell management.

Connecting Rainbows, in turn, demands that :

• Yum! Brands restaurants apologize to Jason and the LGBT community ;
• rehire Jason and provide a hostile-free work environment, or compensate Jason for his loss of income and other damages ;
• stop discriminating against LGBT employees ; and
• provide diversity, cultural competency, and sensitivity training based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression for all Yum! Brands restaurant employees WORLD-WIDE !

Mr. Smith said that Taco Bell conditioned his rehiring on Mr. Smith deleting his Facebook account and deleting his Connecting Rainbows profile, which Mr. Smith has said he will NOT do. Sign our petition demanding that Taco Bell follow through on its commitment to diversity.

Osama Bin Laden Dead Photo Fake

Osama Bin Laden - Fake Dead Photo

Fake dead photos of Osama Bin Laden, which are circulating around the internet, are said to be fake, according to several blogs, which cite the U.S. Department of Defense. The fake photos are said to be old, and these fake photos have been said to be have been ciruclating around the Internet for some time.

Caroline Murphy records a new Music Video to honour St. Vincent's Hospital

Caroline Murphy's St. Vincent's Music Video : New Single : ''Waiting This Out'' is a ballad about the community's fight for a new hospital to replace St. Vincent's in New York City.

Join us for a rally at 2 PM on Saturday, April 30, 2011, to restore a hospital to the Lower West Side of Manhattan. The greedy Rudin family luxury condo conversion is not a done deal, yet. Join us in the struggle to protect the social safety net that is under attack by extremist billionaires.

Shirley Huntley Gay Marriage Protest

Senator Shirley Huntley Marched in Selma and Didn't Learn a Thing : Epic YouTube Video of Daring Protest in Jamaica, Queens, in Support of Marriage Equality

At noon on Wednesday, LGBTQ activists demonstrated in front and visited the office of Queens Senator Shirley Huntely in Jamaica Queens calling upon her to be a champion for full civil rights, including marriage equality for LGBTQ Americans.

Protesters unfurled a 20' banner that stated, "Sen. Shirley Huntley Marched in Selma and Didn't Learn a Thing," while blaring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, giving her a much needed wake-up call.

In 2009, Senator Huntely voted "No" on the marriage equality bill, which would grant same-sex couples the same 1,324 legal protections that opposite-sex couples already have. When asked the reason for her vote, she explained that she was speaking on behalf of her constituency in district 10.

This protest was organised by members of Connecting Rainbows.

NYPD Rape Cop Lawyers Tacopina Seigel Venus Fly Trap & Rapes Are Up! Even Less Women & Girls Will Come Forward unless PBA NYPD Take Action

Meet at St. Vincent's Hospital at 2 pm on April 30 for a Rally to Demand a New Hospital

Join us at 2 pm on April 30 at St. Vincent's for a rally to demand a new hospital for our community. Register to attend our rally on Facebook.

If the Rudin real estate development company and North Shore-LIJ can find $125 million and can use a building that was donated for free to build a clinic, then, with a little more pressure from the community, we can use those resources toward restoring a hospital to the Lower West Side of Manhattan.

Community activist Yetta Kurland gave an interview about how it is possible to restore a hospital at the former site of St. Vincent's. In this video, she urges everybody to join us for the April 30 rally to mark the one year anniversary of the wrongful closing of St. Vincent's.

A year ago, we were told that there was no money for a hospital. Look at what resources Rudin and North Shore-LIJ have found, thanks to your efforts. Keep up the good work. Thank you for all that you do.

Join us for a Rally to Demand a New Hospital to Replace St. Vincent's on Saturday, April 30

Join us on April 30 at 2 pm for a Community Rally to Demand a Hospital to Replace St. Vincent's

April 30 will mark one year after the illegal closing of St. Vincent's Hospital. Join us for a mass rally at 2 p.m. on April 30 at the former site of St. Vincent's : West 12th Street and Seventh Avenue. Only by showing a strong turn-out will we be able to demand that our elected officials and their real estate moguls campaign contributors do the right thing -- and restore a full-service hospital to the Lower West Side of Manhattan.

Nurse Pays More Taxes Than GE ; Join Us For a Rally To Demand a New Village Hospital on April 30

One year after the illegal closing of St. Vincent's Hospital and one month after the real estate moguls announced their controversial luxury condo-conversion plan, please join the Coalition for a New Village Hospital for a mass rally at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.

Register to attend the St. Vincent's rally on April 30 on Facebook.

Let the real estate interests and our elected officials know that we will not accept anything short of a full-service, acute care hospital with level one emergency facilities. In this outrageous YouTube video, listen as to a former nurse at St. Vincent's says that she pays more taxes than General Electric.

Please share with friends and show your support!

Radio France FIP en Direct

40 Years of FIP on Radio France (1971 to 2011)

Last month, FIP -- ''famous for having the broadest selection of music in the world'' -- celebrated its 40th anniversary on Radio France.

FIP broadcasts a diverse range of music -- from the traditional French chanson, rock and roll, world music, classical music, acclaimed music and scores from cinema, jazz, and much more. Usually, it groups musical sets according to a theme.

A truly unique radio listening experience, FIP has to be heard to be believed. Naturally, something so original would only originate from France....

mdr

''Taking A Chance On God'' -- Kickstarter Fundraising Message

Documentary filmmaker Brendan Fay has launched a Kickstarter to complete his film about the famous gay Catholic priest, John McNeill. The tile of the documentary is, ''Taking A Chance On God,'' and the filming has been completed. Mr. Fay is raising money to pay for original music score, news footage rights, graphic design, audio cleanup, color correction, and other finishing aspects. Please consider donating money to this important arts project.