A NOTE TO MY FRIENDS AND LOYAL READERS...

By now you've probably noticed that I've missed a number of regular postings.

Without going into too much detail, I just want you to know that I'm taking a little time off to take care of a couple of physical problems that I've dealt with over the past three decades but have intensified over the last few months. Hopefully these will be resolved in a short time and I'll be able to get back to regular postings.

In the meantime, I'll try to make a few postings here and there whenever I can and I want you all to know how much I've appreciated your loyalty since I started posting in May of 2008. If you want to check out any of my past postings, you can find them in my Archives just after my bio in the right-hand column. I hope that you'll save your subscription links so you'll be notified whenever I make a posting.

If you don't have a link, it's pretty easy to establish one - just click the little blue box in the URL address box at the top of your window or click on either the "Posts" or the "All Comments" link under "SUBSCRIBE HERE..." at the top of the right-hand column and then click one of the options for notification.

If you want to contact me other than through a published comment to one of my stories, you can still email me.

GAY MARRIAGES GOOD FOR STRAIGHT MARRIAGES

Remember all the yelling and screaming by right wing fanatics about how gay marriage is a threat to the institution of heterosexual marriage and threatens the very foundation of our society?

Well, it seems that they were wholly, completely and woefully wrong.

According to the following report by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, new government statistics released last week show that since same-sex marriages were legalized in Massachusetts in 2004, the divorce rate for heterosexual marriages have fallen steadily. In fact, the divorce rate in Massachusetts is not only the lowest in the nation, it is now at its lowest since pre-World War II days. That's some 69 years ago when the prevailing belief was that families stayed together through thick and thin. They were expected to work out their problems rather than run to a divorce attorney.

This is how Rachel put it...

Next time some fanatic tries to tell you that gay marriage is going to destroy our world, point them to the government's own findings about the effect we've had in Massachusetts. Clearly, the only way to save straight marriages is to legalize gay marriages nationwide. Now that would be a defense of marriage act!

TEXAS BAR RAID FOLLOW UP

Administrator Alan Steen of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) announced that the investigation into the Fort Worth Rainbow Lounge raid on June 28th has resulted in the firing of three TABC employees.

The investigation found numerous violations of TABC policies, most of which were outlined by Administrator Steen as early as last July in an interview with The Dallas Voice.

Steen said in that interview that if the agents had sought approval from the supervisor before the Rainbow Lounge inspection, it shouldn’t have been granted because he doesn’t think there was sufficient cause for the inspection. He also said that the eight law enforcement officers and the paddy wagon that were present likely constituted an excessive show of force.

In addition, some of the agents wore uniforms that read "STATE POLICE" on the back when, in fact, there is no State Police agency and those are “special events uniforms” which TABC policy prohibits during bar inspections. Agents are only supposed to dress in street clothes when conducting bar inspections.

Agent Trainee Jason Chapman and Agent Christopher Aller were both dismissed from service due to violations of department policy. And, facing the same fate, Sgt. Terry Parsons announced his retirement effective today, September 2nd.

“If our guys would have followed the damn policy, we wouldn’t even have been there," Steen said.

Numerous other internal changes have been instituted within the TABC including the complete overhaul of the cultural diversity training program to make it more effective, especially with regard to sexual orientation.

The Fort Worth police had already announced their intention to cease all such joint operations with the TABC and have instituted numerous policy changes within their department as well. They have also appointed a special liason to the LGBT community and the TABC said they're going to do the same thing.

There is still a separate investigation into the use of force that caused a serious head injury to bar patron Chad Gibson. As soon as the results of that investigation are announced, I'll let you know.


Thanks to Box Turtle Bulletin and LezGetReal for some of the information in this article.