Hey all,

Many of you may know that tomorrow is National Day of Silience. If you don't take a read of the following and join in this day for our LGBT Youth and allies.

The percentage of hate crimes and discrmination on our LGBT youth has been on a distinct rise in the last 6 years. When our "Commander and Chief" can sit in the safety of his oval office surrounded by secret service and dismiss an entire minority of people as being insignificant and unequal I wonder if he realizes the trickle down effect this has on our children. Hatred creates more hatred and when the man at the helm of the free world says it's ok to hate a group of people the door is open to a whole world of hate that our children (gay or straight) should never have to see.

In 1996, students at the University of Virginia organized the first Day of Silence with over 150 students participating.
This event is now over 500,000 people strong and over 4,000 schools and campuses.

The event is simple. Do not speak for an entire day. You can print out statement cards at www.dayofsilence.org that spell out exactly what you are doing. By creating this one on one visibility with people in your lives we can start to bring in the light to expose these hate mongers and the youth they create.

** 4 out of 5 LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and more than 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.

I was that kid and I know most of you were too. In elementary school recess was warfare and I knew I had to be ready for a fight at a moments notice. Our children should not need to be afraid to walk around the playyard or eat lunch with friends behind the school.

** 84% of LGBT students report being verbally harassed

** 91.5% of LGBT students report hearing homophobic remarks, such as “faggot,” “dyke” or the expression “that’s so gay” frequently or often.

** 82.9% of LGBT students report that faculty or staff never intervened or intervened only some of the time when present and homophobic remarks were made.

** 39.1% of LGBT students report being physically harassed because of their sexual orientation.

That's a problem. This administration and (what I call) the new Republican party shoots down any kind of hatecrime legislation or bills that are targeted for protecting our youth. How is this family values? How is this protecting our children?

THINGS YOU CAN DO
**DO NOT SPEAK TOMORROW AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHY
**CONTINUE TO VOTE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WANT EQUALITY FOR EVERYONE
**WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN TO SUPPORT H.R. (House Bill) 284.

HR 284 takes the The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act [the Act], (which is part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) [NCLB] to include conduct directed at students that substantially interferes with their educational opportunities, specifically including conduct that is based on a student's actual or perceived identity with regard to race, color, national origin, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and religion. In addition, the term “violence,” as presently defined in the Act, is modified to include bullying and harassment.

No child left behind, President Bush? You've been purposely shitting on an entire minority and an entire group of children since you got into office. Shame on you and shame on your party.

Please, tomorrow, April 18th--leave no child behind and stay silent.

Hey All,

The call to action for the 2008 elections is already under way. MoveOn.org is hosting the nation's first online virtual town hall. We took back congress from this Culture of Corruption now let's keep the momentum and take back the White House in 2008. There are some amazing Democratic candidates so let's gather and hear them speak Tuesday, April 10th at 7:15pm EST.

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Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Dennis Kucinich, and Joe Biden will answer questions from MoveOn.org's 3.2 million members in the first of three unprecedented virtual town hall meetings. The topic: Iraq.

If you blog as well write about MoveOn's virtual town hall meeting on your blog, post the web graphic on your site or email your friends.

Virtual town hall promo graphics, and coding, are: HERE

Your readers can sign up to attend a local house party and experience the
virtual town hall with others by going: HERE

MoveOn members are asking candidates the tough questions about their Iraq plans, and we're gathering in living rooms from coast to coast to hear th answers directly. The mass media won't be filtering our questions or filtering the answers---MoveOn will be connecting candidates directly to the people.

Spreading the word about our virtual town hall on your blog will make this democratic experience that much more effective.

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Keep on moving

-W

5, 6, 7, 8....

Haha--I this saw today and had to share it. In response to my blog on Feb 16, "It's my latte and I'll cry if I want to," this is an amazing article by Tim Stewart at www.ThisisLondon.co.uk.

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Flash mob

Party time: the dancing starts at Victoria Station at 6.53pm

More than 4,000 clubbers danced through the rush hour at Victoria station in Britain's biggest flash mob stunt.

Revellers responded to e-bulletins urging them to "dance like you've never danced before" at 6.53pm.

There were knowing looks and giggles among the casually dressed crowd that gathered from 6.30pm, wearing earphones.

A deafening 10-second countdown startled station staff and commuters before the concourse erupted in whoops and cheers. MP3 players and iPods emerged and the crowd danced wildly to their soundtracks in silence - for two hours.

University of London student Lucy Dent, 20, was among the flash mobbers. She said..."I didn't even notice the commuters. When you get into the dancing you're oblivious to them and forget you're at a railway station."

Chris Gale, 39, brought his daughter Sophia, three, and son Jacob, six. Mr Gale, a property entrepreneur from Bromley, said: "The children were a bit bewildered at first but then had fantastic fun. Some of the commuters are only interested in their trains and had to weave round us to the platforms. But most of them stood and stared, finding it hugely entertaining - and some even joined in.

go to www.thisislondon.co.uk for the entire article.
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Whadya say...can I have this dance? ;)

Keep on moving.

-W