Questions about Councilman Carl DeMaio’s commitment to the LGBT community have reached fever pitch in recent weeks, leaving many of us to wonder: Did he really tell a major newspaper he was single? Why didn’t he refuse, and if not, why doesn’t he now disavow himself of Roger Hedgecock’s endorsement? Why isn’t the councilman more…
Conservatives seem to understand homonyms, those pesky words that sound the same but are spelled differently. They’ve seen Rick Perry’s attempts to parry debate shots, and they’re certain Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan may cause some pain, but doesn’t actually involve a cane. Their mastery of homographs, words that are spelled the same, but sound differently,…
Marriage equality would not have saved Matthew Shepard. Whether harsh, obvious – or both, it’s worth keeping in mind before we re-arm the circular firing squad that is often our activist community. Last week saw a hurricane of events in LGBT politics. Gov. Brown signed 10 of the 12 pro-LGBT equality bills passed by the…
Polling may be a science, but reporting polls is the art of spin, and reading them can be as confusing as a complex physics equation. I hadn’t planned to discuss polling again so soon, but the contrasts in two recently released surveys demand an explanation, and offer a lesson. To test your spin-sulation, scribble your…
Dear Ms. Hailey: We at Southwest Airlines are committed to providing a satisfying flight experience for all of our customers. We deeply regret that members of our team were insensitive to you and your companion. We deeply regret the incident, will refund the cost of your ticket and will try to improve on our strong…
President Obama promised to veto any debt-reduction plan that didn’t include tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans in a speech last week. Republicans accused him of inciting a new “class war.” They’re half right. Is President Obama suggesting that middle-class voters would choose higher taxes on the rich over cuts in their health and retirement…
“I am wearing a pink tie. My opponent is not. Pink ties are the most important issue in this debate, so I should win.” In tournament debate parlance, this is known as the “Tie Paradigm” – pick a color that matches your wardrobe. It is an absurd point to make in an argument about pension…
Epic struggles, real or fictional, always have a turning point. The Revolution had Saratoga, the Civil War had Gettysburg and the Lord of the Rings had Helms Deep. After the battles, the victors take a moment to raise their glasses in a celebration tempered by the knowledge that there is work to do come morning….
Since the health care debate turned sour, politicos have been dissecting how President Obama lost his mojo. Some argue he has governed too liberally. Others think he hasn’t taken his case to the American people. I think he just hasn’t changed his poker game, and his new opponents are making him look like easy money….
Betty White came out for marriage equality in Parade magazine, but her Golden Girls alter ego, Rose Nyland, never did. It may be time for Ms. White to drag the ugly sweaters and ditzy persona out of the closet, because the battle for LGBT rights is moving to St. Olaf. Since the passage of Proposition…
