The Obama admin does another half-measure, calling for marriage equality — in a limited scope. It won’t weigh in to clear the way for equality nationwide – punting to SCOTUS. Here is the fairly deflating news (if you’re in a state with a marriage amendment), or elating endorsement if you’re in a handful of states [...]

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Black Church are rightly lauded for molding young black men into adult leaders. BSA troops have produced distinguished African American scouts like retired four-star general Colin Powell, six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan, and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. African American participation in the Boy Scout movement dates [...]

“See, not even an Academy Award can stop a Black man from being criminalized…” God almighty, if it’s not the police it’s shopkeepers shaking down The Scary Black Man. And apparently it doesn’t matter if you’re an Academy Award winning actor. Forest Whitaker was on the Upper East Side and deigned to step into Milano Market. NewsOne: [...]

In 29 states it is still legal to fire or refuse to hire someone based on his or her sexual orientation; if you include gender identity, the count rises to 34 states (source: HRC). I live in one of those states, North Carolina. You’d think that if 73 percent of Americans support an executive order barring [...]

These changes are long-awaited, but there’s still some waiting as the Pentagon will attempt to extend the benefits to same-sex service members by Aug. 31 and no later than Oct. 1 of this year. Amanda Terkel at HuffPo: More than a year after lifting the ban on gay men and women serving openly in the military, the [...]

This is historic news; the last time a pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415; “old age” has traditionally meant nothing as popes die in office. Notably, Pope Benedict XVI, the former  Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was the right-hand man to Pope John Paul II, who not only succumbed to advanced age, but was for all intents [...]

NOTE: Still on the mend from spine surgery and the f*cking flu, so posts will be sparse for a while; thanks Laurel and Alvin for churning out the Blend content… With all of the extremist womb-controlling efforts we’ve seen in this country over the last election cycle, it seemed not a week went by without [...]

I have to say that I was not surprised at this news at all. The media maelstrom about this topic rendered the decision by the Boy Scouts of America National Executive Board so hot — the here-come-the-pedophiles/America-values-are-being-destroyed camp versus the camp reflecting the increasing acceptance of LGBTs in contemporary American culture — left the Boy Scouts [...]

This is an edited, short version of a post from my personal blog updating peeps on my progress. Click over for the rest. I had a bilateral discectomy on January 18, and yesterday I had my first follow-up visit with my surgeon. I received immediate relief from the searing electrical shock-type pain down my left [...]

This is a guest column by Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton, a 1980 West Point graduate, part of the first class to admit women. She was commissioned in the Army, served as a platoon leader and company commander in Germany, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.  She currently serves on the board of [...]