Author Archives: D Gregory Smith

Sullivan: “The Hierarchy Versus The Future”

by D Gregory Smith

In one of the most concise analyses I’ve read on the issues created and faced by the Roman Catholic Church, Andrew Sullivan offers some articulate insight:

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

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Here in America, we see a Catholic hierarchy all but joining forces with the Republican party to insist on their right to control what is offered as healthcare to their employees in religiously-affiliated schools and hospitals and public services. In Britain, we see a furious campaign to prevent gay couples from having civil marriage licenses, a reform backed by the Conservative prime minister, and both opposition parties. And for much of the moment, this will be what the Church presents to the world: an attempt to control the medical care for women in its employ and its determination to keep homosexuals out of the word “marriage” and, thereby, “family.”

There is a spiritual and religious cost to this. And I do not mean that the Church should always “keep up with the times.” There are moments when a Church’s role is precisely to abandon the contemporary world in order to uphold what it takes to be eternal truths. But the narrowness of the current crusades – against a pill used by 98 percent of Catholic women, whose consciences are their own, and against people of a different sexual orientation that the Church acknowledges is unchosen – damages Christianity in the culture, and, in my view, misses the forest for the trees.

Christianity is not about the control of others; it is about the liberation Christ brings to each of us, and how we can learn to trust that incarnated love in escaping our daily failures, sins, weakness, cruelties – in order to bring love into being in the world.

Exactly what I’ve been saying (although not as eloquently). The alignment with a particular party is dangerous precisely because politics and religion are partners of convenience, not of allegiance or ideology. Those shift much more often than does dogma.

Andrew further quotes Fr Ceirion Gilbert, a Welsh priest who sums up the situation in The Tablet thus:

As a priest who deals daily with young people, teachers and catechists, I fear that yet again the Catholic Church is aligning herself with the wrong side, portraying herself as the “defender” of a position and an interpretation of society and humanity at odds with that of younger generations and almost incomprehensible to them in its rigidity and – to use an admittedly “loaded” term, bigotry.

Is it possible, also taking into account Bishop Robinson’s public comments last week, that some people are actually getting it?  When will the bishops get it?

The church is going to have a tough row to hoe if it believes it can play offense on sexuality while simultaneously playing defense on clerical sexual misconduct and abuse. That kind of ridiculousness is what is seriously undermining her credibility today.

Read Fr Gilbert’s full essay here. It’s fantastic. 

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A Bishop Talks About (gasp) Sex

by D Gregory Smith

Many of you have probably heard the news that (from New Ways Ministry Blog):

“On the second day of  New Ways Ministry’s Seventh National Symposium, From Water to Wine: Lesbian/Gay Catholics and Relationships in Baltimore, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson of Australia summoned the Catholic Church to rethink its teaching on sexuality- for heterosexuals and lesbian/gay people.  (The full text of his talk can be found on his website.)

The National Catholic Reporter news account of the bishop’s talk cites his call for

‘a new study of everything to do with sexuality’ — a kind of study that he predicted ‘would have a profound influence on church teaching concerning all sexual relationships, both heterosexual and homosexual.’

‘If [church] teaching on homosexual acts is ever to change, the basic teaching governing all sexual acts must change,’ he said. . . .

‘If the starting point [as in current church teaching] is that every single sexual act must be both unitive and procreative, there is no possibility of approval of homosexual acts,’ Robinson said.

Bishop Geoffrey Robinson

He proceeded, however, to question that natural law argument, especially as laid out by recent popes, and to suggest that a more nuanced reading of divine commandments in scripture and of Jesus’ teaching would lead to a different set of moral norms — starting with a change in church teaching that every sexual act or thought that falls outside a loving conjugal act open to procreation is a mortal sin because it is a direct offense against God himself in his divine plan for human sexuality.

‘For centuries the church has taught that every sexual sin is a mortal sin. The teaching may not be  proclaimed as loudly today as much as before, but it was proclaimed by many popes, it has never been retracted and it has affected countless people’, Robinson said.

‘The teaching fostered a belief in an incredibly angry God,’ he added, ‘for this God would condemn a person to an eternity in hell for a single unrepented moment of deliberate pleasure arising from sexual desire. I simply do not believe in such a God. Indeed, I positively reject such a God.'”

Terrific.
And “Amen”.
This is startling- not only because of its sensibility- but for the courage of a man who has jumped over the traces, so to speak, of his fellow magisterial wizards. Dare we hope that this is the first voice of many?
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The Myth Of Obama And Gas Prices

by D Gregory Smith
English: BP service station in Zanesville, Ohio.

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Pursuant to a conversation I had yesterday, it is ridiculous that one man has the power to raise and lower prices at the pump- unless it’s the chairman of BP, etc.

Yet the myth lives on that the President has that power- and is, ridiculously in an election year- not using it. From Robert Semple, jr in The New York Times:

The issue of gas prices has not only been misunderstood but thoroughly distorted by relentless ideological spin from industry and its political allies, mainly Republican. Hardly a day goes by that some industry cheerleader somewhere — be it Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana or Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma — does not flay President Obama for driving up oil prices by denying the industry access to oil and gas deposits and imposing ruinous environmental rules. Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, said last week that Mr. Obama should be held “fully responsible for what the American public is paying for gasoline.”

If only the president had the power to give us $2.50-a-gallon gasoline, as Newt Gingrich promised to do if he got to the White House. It is ridiculous to think that a president can.

 The reality is much more complex and nuanced than the “Obama’s making us suffer” meme. And yet, the flames of this meme are fanned by populists and Republicans running for re-election. Why? Because it’s popular. And it’s easy. It preys on a simple fear, like the myth of the creature in the dark under the stairs.
Which basically amounts to a cheap shot.
So, if you want to fill yourself in on the full story behind gas prices, read the full article here.
If not, enjoy listening to the myth in your head. Just don’t confuse it with the facts.
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Who was St Patrick?

by D Gregory Smith

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

If you feel like you need a little brush-up on (one of) Ireland’s patron saint(s), check this out.

If you want a somewhat controversial take on St. Patrick, go here.

And if you want to know some interesting Irish Fun Facts, go here.

And yes, I’m mostly Irish. And yes I have pride in my heritage, but I’m not much of a fan of public drunken brawling and slurring. I find myself agreeing with Frank Delaney’s take on celebration of St Patrick’s Day…”Drowning The Shamrock”.

Sigh.

Here’s a picture of me in Ireland in 2007:

Dursey Island

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Still time To Register! Young Men’s Retreat

by D Gregory Smith

An awesome opportunity for young gay/bi men in Montana to feel less isolated, learn about themselves, talk frankly about life and make some friends!

Click pic for registration link.

GLAAD Announces ‘Commentator Accountability Project’ To Expose Anti-LGBT Voices

by D Gregory Smith

From AmericaBlog:

English: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defama...

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Sick of seeing the homophobes spewing their hate on tv? Most of us are. And, we wonder why so many media outlets are willing to give them face time. GLAAD is launching a project to make sure the media knows exactly who they are dealing with:

The GLAAD Commentator Accountability Project (CAP) aims to put critical information about frequent anti-gay interviewees into the hands of newsrooms, editors, hosts and reporters. Journalists or producers who are on deadline often don’t have the time to dig into the histories of a commentator. Audiences need to be aware that when they’re not talking to the mainstream media, these voices are comparing the LGBT people to Nazi Germany, predicting that equal treatment of LGBT people will lead to the total collapse of society, and even making accusations of satanic influence.

The Commentator Accountability Project is bringing all of these statements to light, while calling attention to the sentiments behind them. We will show that the commentators who are most often asked to opine on issues like marriage equality or non-discrimination protections do not accurately represent the “other side” of those issues. They represent nothing but extreme animus towards the entire LGBT community.

Have you seen these anti-LGBT voices in your local media? Let GLAAD know today.

It’s an excellent idea- and local human rights organizations are encouraged to participate. Any Montana candidates? Send them to me through the comments- I won’t publish them unless you give me permission.
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Op Ed: Judge Cebull’s Email “Irreparably Damaged Ability, Impartiality of Federal Court”

by D Gregory Smith

A piece in today’s Missoulian by 6 UM Law School professors  gives us an excellent reason to keep up the calls for his resignation and/or dismissal: the irreparable damage to impartiality. Excerpt:

Racism and sexism work in pernicious ways. Although there are still open racists and sexists everywhere, thanks to the civil and women’s rights movements much of what we now see resides in more subtle institutional arrangements and private, informal interactions that define our daily existence. Racism and sexism lurk in systemic processes, in implicit understandings, in gestures and jokes. Hidden from the light of public scorn, they thrive in structural formalities, personal relationships and private interactions.

Every once in a while, we catch a rare glimpse of these manifestations. U.S. Chief District Judge Richard Cebull’s e-mail and equivocations provided the latest example. Sent an admittedly racist and misogynistic email, Cebull chose to promote it to others. And when caught having forwarded the disturbing message, Cebull tried to distinguish the email’s content from his intent and his act from his character, demonstrating a profound misunderstanding of racism and sexism.

I know that I certainly would not feel comfortable having him decide a case involving me- or anyone I know for that matter. I would probably be able to make a case- as would anyone who has spoken out against him- for recusal. I would feel suspicion and mistrust- and fear. Not the feelings a Federal Judge should engender….

More:

We acknowledge Cebull’s contributions to our profession. We also hear his contrition and recognize that we have all made mistakes. But his is not a simple lapse in judgment or momentary moral failing. As a federal district judge – the chief judge of Montana – the consequences of his actions are that racial and ethnic minorities, women and even people with whom he disagrees politically now have clear reason to question his ability to be fair and impartial when they appear in his court. The cynical may even try to exploit his revealed biases.

Cebull has irreparably compromised his ability to promote the independence, integrity and impartiality of the United States District Court in Montana.

Agreed. I just hope we can do something about it.

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HIV Diminishes Lung Function

by D Gregory Smith

We know that uncontrolled HIV can lead to a host of problems (see illustration). You can now count breathing among them.

English: Main symptoms of acute HIV infection....

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A new study has shown that if you have untreated HIV, you are much more prone to a rapid decline in lung function. Because we know that smoking negatively affects lung function, this finding adds urgency to the message that persons with HIV will benefit greatly from not smoking.

The study seems to corroborate soft-tissue organ damage by unchecked HIV, and is yet another argument buttressing early treatment and lowering viral levels among persons with HIV disease. From AIDSMEDS:

Though the study results from a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine team note that people living with HIV—particularly those with viral loads not being kept in check with antiretroviral (ARV) therapy—have reduced lung strength and a more rapid loss of pulmonary function compared with HIV-negative controls, the researchers also point out that cigarette smoking was very common in the cohort studies and remains an important risk factor to contend with.

As explained by Michael Drummond, MD, of Johns Hopkins during his introductory remarks, HIV infection has been shown to increase the risk of obstructive lung diseases (OLD), such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis—both under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—and asthma.

According to a study reported in 2000, there was a greater prevalence of emphysema—documented using chest X-rays—in smokers living with HIV. And in a 2006 study, HIV infection was found to independently increase the risk of a COPD diagnosis by 47 percent.

More recently, in a study authored by Drummond and his colleagues in 2011, an HIV viral load in excess of 200,000 copies was associated with a 3.4-fold increase in the odds of having an OLD diagnosis using gold-standard pulmonary function tests. The cohort has enrolled more than 4,000 injection drug users, roughly a quarter of whom are people living with HIV.

People with uncontrolled HIV infection had a loss in lung function at a sharply higher rate than both HIV-negative people and those with good viral control. It means that if you smoke, you’re just going to make that loss of lung function happen faster. I quit smoking almost three years ago. In fact, I wrote about it right here.

There were a lot of reasons. But mostly,  I quit because I wanted to consciously choose a healthy life. And I wanted to be able to credibly help others to do that, too. These facts from Nancy Reynolds study on HIV and smoking helped bring me out of the smokers’ corner for good:

  • The lungs of a person with HIV are more susceptible to cancer, emphysema, pneumonia,acute bronchitis and tuberculosis. This risk increases dramatically among HIV+ smokers.
  • The incidence of cancers, especially lung and cervical cancer are higher among HIV+ smokers and develop at a significantly younger age than the general population.
  • And the biggie: Smokers with HIV negate some of the effects of antiretroviaral medications by smoking. Thus, HIV+ smokers had a 36% greater chance of developing an AIDS-defining condition and a 53% higher risk of dying than HIV+ persons who did not smoke.

In the last few years after I quit smoking, my health has steadily improved. My cardiac function increased. My CD4 counts went up. My bilirubin counts went down- so did my bad cholesterol. All good things. I can exercise more without gasping, and I look good (if I do say so myself).

So, again, I’ll make a plea: I don’t want to be one of those newly-converted who scowls every time somebody lights up a cigarette. I really don’t. I understand how much fun smoking is, and how complicated. I just want you to have the facts. The very disturbing facts.

And maybe, if you’re a Person With HIV, they’ll hit you like they did me and you’ll improve the quality and length of your life. Just maybe.

And if you know someone who’s HIV+ who still smokes, show them this article- and ask them if they need support to quit. There are a lot of resources out there- and a lot of good reasons to choose from.

Even more now.

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Candidates For Election Set Record

by D Gregory Smith

According to the Secretary Of State’s office, Montanans are filing in record numbers for public office. Yesterday there were a record 429 Montanan candidates filing for office. And that’s either a sign of increased participation among the population or increased activism- maybe both. Democrats are vying to regain lost Legislative seats and Republicans will be looking to take back the state Land Board, and make a dent in the higher offices of U S Senator, Governor and Attorney General- while trying to hold on to the seat vacated by Denny Rehberg in his bid for the Senate.

State Seal of Montana.

Image via Wikipedia

Democrats are optimistic.

“Our candidates are firefighters from Billings, moms from Missoula, farmers from Big Sandy, and other hard working Montanans around the state,” said Jim Elliott, Chairman of the Democratic Party.  “We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a group of candidates who reflect the values of Montanans.”
Under Democrats’ leadership the state’s economy has maintained a budget in the black and a high record of job creation, higher than elsewhere in the nation.
“Attorney General Steve Bullock and Brigadier General John Walsh (retired) have what it takes to help small businesses create jobs, improve education and keep Montana’s economy on the right track,” said Elliott.  “Montanans have come to expect fiscal responsibility from the Governor’s office, and that’s what they’re going to get from Steve and John.”
The Party announces its field of candidates at a time when women’s rights have been under extradoridnary attack in Congress and the State Legislature.  Congressman Dennis Rehberg has been at the center of attempts to end women’s access to preventative care, and some Republican legislators went so far as to compare women to cattle.
“We are especially proud that we have dozens of strong women candidates running for office,” said Elliott. “We will not stand by while irresponsible political games threaten women’s health.  Our candidates are committed to honoring the important role women play in all our lives.”
Montana Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee chair Lauren Caldwell said during a news conference Monday that the large number of GOP candidates competing against each other in primary races is a telling sign of GOP disorganization and doesn’t send a message of unity.

“They’re struggling for the soul of their party right now,” Caldwell said. “They’re focused on political wrangling … and there is a struggle on their side to keep the candidates that they had in the last legislative session and to not have them challenged.”

Republicans aren’t having that. “Every single election cycle the Democrats try to use the same spin, and they are wrong every single time. Every one of those cycles we gain seats. It is a wrong interpretation of what goes on,” Montana GOP Executive Director Bowen Greenwood said. “We are a party that believes in competition and the free market of ideas. That produces winning candidates for us. It has in the past, and it will now.”

“We are committed to electing a legislature that advances the interests of Montanans in every community,” maintains Democrat Elliott.  “Our field of legislative candidates will hold themselves accountable to the people they’re supposed to represent.”

On Saturday, nearly 1,100 Montanans attended the Party’s annual fundraiser, headlined by Jon Tester. That number that exceeds any in recent memory, with the exception of the 2008 event, which featured Presidential candidates.
In a year when the (mostly) Republican craziness of the 2011 Legislature still rings fresh in the minds of Montana voters, the Democrats may have more than a fighting chance

A list of current candidate filings can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at sos.mt.gov/Elections.

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ADAP Watch March 12, 2012

by D Gregory Smith

From our friends at NAPWA:

 

The President has called for The End of AIDS in America, and that means an end to ADAP waiting lists. Everyone who needs HIV antiretroviral medicines should be getting them, and we can reduce long-term health care costs by making sure they do.
This is an extraordinarily difficult political climate, though, so we don’t expect much movement on the waiting lists until after the elections. We’re grateful to the Administration for the new money that brought the counts down from 9,000-plus to just under 4,000, and we think it’s time for states like Virginia and Georgia to join the Administration and pay their fair share. Belly up to the bar, boys!
Here are the latest waiting list numbers from our friends at NASTAD. Let’s not forget that these are the visible waiting lists. Too many states have vanished PLWHA who used to qualify for ADAP assistance by setting income eligibility ceilings unreasonably low.

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