Queer Modesto

Give this woman an award!

What is with closeted politicians being the dumbest kind of person? Last week it was Roy Ashburn, Republican State Senator from Bakersfield this week it’s Eric Massa, former Democratic congressman from New York. Who originally stated he was retiring due to health reasons but now it turns it was because of well.. I’ll let him tell it in his own words.

(warning watching  Glenn Beck may be dangerous to your sanity)

The San Joaquin International Film Festival (SJIFF), the annual flagship festival of the San Joaquin Film Society and California Central Valley’s most prestigious festival of cinema, is: a showcase of new, innovative, and award-winning works from emerging talents and seasoned artists from the Americas and the World. The 3rd San Joaquin International Film Festival takes place February 18-27, 2010 in the home base of Stockton and two days in Modesto.

SJIFF3 will feature:

• New independent American and International films
• Cultural and national focuses
• Educational programs, interactive

discussions, and film arts classes

• Guest celebrities, entertainment luminaries, and filmmakers from around the nation and the world
• Festive receptions and parties
• Diverse programs for all ages

As February’s most anticipated cultural arts and entertainment event in the Valley, SJIFF3 brings in a multifarious group of people from the home base of the Stockton-San Joaquin region, with audiences from the Sacramento Valley, Stanislaus-Fresno Counties, the Great San Francisco-Bay Area, and Southern California. In addition, expected guests will be flying in from around the world, along with media exposure, news, reviews, and information broadcasted in various formats near and far.

For tickets and more information, please call (209) 423-4719

Via.

Brian Moylan has a pretty good summation of the various stereotypes that make up the gay community while also acknowledging that very rarely do people fit into one single category and that, by and large, the stereotypes are self-imposed. His articles does pose one significant problem though… apparently all gay men are bottoms. Which, y’know, would make it difficult to get laid and we all know -thats- not an issue. So where’d he go wrong?

Today was Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell day on Capitol Hill. With Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Admiral Mullen offered his personal view thusly:

“Mr. Chairman, speaking for myself and myself only, it is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, personally, it comes down to integrity — theirs as individuals and ours as an institution.”

Robert Gates announced that there would be a investigative study launched that should conclude by the end of the year as to how to go about repeal with implementation starting shortly thereafter and probably taking another year to complete. There was also talk of enacting stop-loss measures to prevent further discharges under DADT, such as not investigating people who are outed by third parties.

Of course there was the typical backlash. AMERICAblog caught John McCain’s flip-flop from a statement in 2006 about how we should listen when military leaders say it’s time for repeal to his flip-out today about how a thousand retired admirals and generals had signed a petition against change. Guess he’s more interested in the opinions of retired military leaders who agree with him than what the people who actually run the military think.

Watch Admiral Mullen’s full statement after the jump.

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