“Was it the same cat?” That was Trinity’s question in The Matrix, when Neo reported seeing two black cats in rapid succession. In the movie, déjà vu is a glitch that portends a dangerous change in the computer program. Watching multiple advocacy groups again remove their support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has given…
Last year, the decisions of the Supreme Court’s June term were met with joyful celebration in San Diego’s LGBT community, with decisions bringing an end to both California’s Proposition 8 and part of the Defense of Marriage Act. The final day of the 2014 spring Supreme Court term was markedly different, with decisions that clearly…
Scientists rarely get to create their own facts. Politicians do. Say something enough times, and people start to think it’s true. Like the idea that last Tuesday’s primary was a great night for San Diego Republicans. Sorry, but I respectfully disagree. Let’s start with the numbers. In Congressional primaries, Republicans lost 3:2. They are happy…
Medicine can be confusing. It is therefore often assumed that problems with medical centers and health care delivery are confusing. Sometimes they are, but not in the case of the current scandals at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA medical centers do not have a medicine problem. They have a math problem, a reality…
Escape velocity is the speed needed to break away from a planet without eventually being pulled back by gravity. Hit it, and you can coast to the freedom of open space without hitting the jets again. For Earth, it’s about 25,000 mph. The escape velocity of a political movement can’t be calculated, but there is…
Tuesday, June 3, is the California gubernatorial primary election. If you hadn’t heard, it’s in large part because the marque state races involve lesser known Republicans running in primaries, all for the chance to fight a decidedly uphill November battle against incumbent Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. In San Diego’s highest profile…
I was thrilled to see Michael Sam become the first openly gay player drafted into the National Football League (NFL). The coverage of his emotional response, including kissing his boyfriend, was tremendous. I remain skeptical, though, of the idea that his sexual orientation didn’t hurt him in the draft. You’ve probably heard the current narrative….
When Brendan Eich resigned from Mozilla last month, a group of marriage equality supporters penned a public statement “Freedom to Marry, Freedom to Dissent: Why we must have both.” They argued that “diversity is the natural consequence of liberty” and that “disagreement should not be punished.” Then LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling was caught on…
I doubt there is any real danger that a Fox News item would convince most San Diegans that former Councilmember Carl DeMaio is our dream congressional candidate. Still, Dana Perino’s article (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/04/28/california-house-race-no-one-puts-gay-republican-carl-demaio-in-corner/) Straight talk about gay Republican congressional candidate Carl DeMaio warrants some discussion. Perino’s column begins by suggesting that DeMaio’s biography and Council record…
As the 2014 elections approach, you’ll hear about Rep. Scott Peters’ (CA-52) strong record on LGBT equality, for two reasons. First, it’s true. Second, the race is made-for-TV drama, with openly gay former San Diego City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio challenging Peters, a one-term straight incumbent with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) endorsement,…
