First of all, yes I did vote and I researched everyone. Most of the incumbents thought they had it in the bag and this election proved that they still need to get out there and keep their faces in the news. Second, why the attack? I know we have a batch of new Republicans in and it's gonna be business as usual which means that there's not gonna be much if any pro LGBT legislaton passing--the Repubs have control of the NYS Senate now too and I know that it'll be two years until they're re-elected or tossed out, I'm not that dense. Don't spring at me like I'm some sort of ignoramus
--- On Wed, 12/1/10, Lee Sonoflaw <rumpldforeskin@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Lee Sonoflaw <rumpldforeskin@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Peckers_Pics] Hair Wars; Dec 2, 2010 - Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated G
To: Peckers_Pics@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 11:27 PM
As for voting Republicans out of office soon, that can't happen because we just voted a new batch of Republicans in less than a month ago! Im not trying to be a wise ass, but do you ever read the paper??? DEMOCRATS stayed home and LOST the election. Republicans won and there wont be another election for 2 years.
I do have a question. Did you vote? From your comment, I suspect not which is the reason we lost.
--- On Wed, 12/1/10, Terry Purdue <smooth_op_85@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Terry Purdue <smooth_op_85@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Peckers_Pics] Hair Wars; Dec 2, 2010 - Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated G
To: Peckers_Pics@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 2:15 PM
HIV has always been looked at as a gay disease, but just because it has always been so doesn't mean that it is limited to it. In fact, I hear--though I want to research it--that heterosexual transmission is the fastest way of transmission
Model Wars: Number 14 has my vote
DADT: I think we all know this is going out the door. I hear that 42 Republicans will go and try and block all Legislation until they extend tax cuts to I believe the richer class. This is stupid and unwise, not only that but they are playing politics with peoples' lives. This is deplorable and those Republicans need to be voted out of office---soon!
--- On Wed, 12/1/10, jakewest_tn <jakewest_tn@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: jakewest_tn <jakewest_tn@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Peckers_Pics] Hair Wars; Dec 2, 2010 - Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated G
To: Peckers_Pics@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 2:44 PM
Hair Wars; Dec 2, 2010 Safe PICS For All Ages, Rated G Diet & Fitness: -
Reminder: Did you complete your Diet Journal today? Get it done! -
Did you do any physical activity? If not, make a point of it by tomorrow! Own a bike? Ride it to lunch, work, park, lake! -
It is our hope that our male fittness photos shall inspire you! Today's Health - Wellness / Exercise / Reflections: Aids can also be a good method for intimidation Spicezee / Dec 1, 2010 Have you also got the feeling that AIDS is (too) often being used for spreading phobias?
AIDS can be used as a metaphor for a number of marginalised groups. In Japan, for example, AIDS is connected with foreigners, particularly Asian prostitutes who supposedly spread it to Japan. In that way, of course, xenophobia is incited. In the USA, conservative Christian moralists used AIDS to promote their views on morals and sexuality.
Aids is a constant topic of political discussions
According to the history of medicine about AIDS and political discussions about it, there's the prevailing thesis that AIDS is a result of "uncontrolled promiscuity and sexual debauchery of homosexuals". For that reason, fidelity and abstinence were often promoted as the most effective medication for the disease. In a way, this is also a defence strategy of the system because the "straight" moral code is foisted on people instead of allowing them to have other desires.
The first name was GRID
In the early stages of the disease, medical experts used the name GRID (Gay Related Immune Disorder) for the set of symptoms related to AIDS, whereas the terms "gay plague" or "gay cancer" were used in everyday language, which created an impression that homosexual people are the only "risky group". These terms were promoted despite the fact that intravenous drug users already showed similar symptoms in the 1970s.
At that time, doctors reported about an increasing number of deaths caused by "junkie pneumonia". Even when women started dying because of similar symptoms (from 1981 to 1986), it was generally believed that homosexual people are the main risky group – wrongdoers and victims.
AIDS as the new term
In July 1982, the disease was officially termed Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). At the same time, state officials knew that AIDS can also be contracted by intravenous drug users – there were a lot of new cases among heterosexuals in Haiti, in the USA. Reports about similar cases were already identified in 1969, while a case of the disease was reported in England in 1959. The equation of the epidemic with homosexuality, which appeared with the first diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in gay men, continued and intensified the hatred towards homosexual people.
Hatred towards homosexual people
This hatred has a strong impact on the development of the public policy. Owing to a high risk, presidents generally avoid new and unexplained health problems in elections. For example, Reagan administration was irresponsible to ignore the AIDS epidemic in accordance with their Christian conservative views for the first seven years.
This policy put a stop to the research on infections, diseases and treatment, subjected people infected with AIDS to discrimination, and failed to ensure a sufficient number of preventive educational programmes, which resulted in an increasing number of infected people. Reagan's policy on AIDS was the product of indifference, ignorance, contempt and political capitulation to religious republican voters.
Influence of conservative sexual morals
The occurrence of AIDS, on the other hand, forced many state legislative authorities to start addressing the phenomenon of homosexuality, even though they called upon people only to abstain from sexual intercourse. For example, priests Pat Roberson and Jerry Fallwell described gays as ill sinners and promoted the idea that AIDS is God's punishment and that the activities of the gay movement should be terminated.
The White House Secretary of Education, William Bennett, and his adviser, Gary Bauer tried to fulfil these requirements and thus achieved that the research on AIDS wasn't largely funded by the state. Also, conservatives turned the fact that AIDS spread among heterosexual people to their advantage: they believed that they discovered the weapon to restore the traditional sexual morals. Thus, their vision of a better world was accepted, where homosexuality remains hidden from the public and where monogamy is worshipped, while sexual conduct is subject the law.
Conservatives continued ignoring intravenous drug users, as the use of drugs supposedly had no connection with chastity and monogamy. Stigmatisation of homosexuality continued despite the fact that, at that time, homosexual people were the most active and efficient in warning against risks and emphasising the need for preventive action.
Consider joining: Take Action: And Now, Our War of the Fittest! This group is called "Peckers PICS." The English - slang definition of "pecker" is to pluck at the truth. Therefore, we peck at items such as Gay Men's Health, Male Fitness, Gay (LGBT) Politics & Issues. In this section you may peck at each photo in order to decide the winner of the "war of the fittest!" Whereas, you should select the guy that may inspire you to exercise and "get fit!" Warning: This may stoke you! Remember your participation in discussion of health / news articles - appearing in this message is greatly appreciated. One striking aspect of the Pentagon's recently released study on repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) are the similarities it has to Judge Walker's ruling which struck down Proposition 8 in California. While the documents deal with different topics they both make the same fundamental point: the barriers that prevent homosexuals from partaking in the same activities heterosexuals do are ultimately artificial and without rational basis. These two documents help to advance an important truth: that homosexuality is not an aberration or a deviation, and that a person's sexual orientation does not hinder or damage a person's competence, or ability to perform as well at a task as a heterosexual. In his ruling on Proposition 8, Judge Walker wrote: Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Proponents of Proposition 8 have stated in their appeal that they wish to argue that opposite sex couples are superior to same-sex couples since they can procreate. That would likely be a definition of marriage that not even all heterosexual couples currently live up to. On the basic ability to love and support each other in a relationship, same sex couples are just as capable as opposite sex couples. The DADT study does something similar. It first points out that as a practical manner, gays are already successfully integrated into the military anyway: The reality is that there are gay men and lesbians already serving in today's U.S. military, and most Service members recognize this. As stated before, 69% of the force recognizes that they have at some point served in a unit with a co-worker they believed to be gay or lesbian. Of those who have actually had this experience in their career, 92% stated that the unit's `ability to work together' was `very good,' `good,' or `neither good nor poor,' while only 8% stated it was `poor' or `very poor.' However, since the key difference is that now their service would be open, the question is whether this change would create new disturbances that hurt the military's ability to operate. The report states that in fact, those who serve openly have the same incentive to not create incidents and to be responsible members of their organization: If gay and lesbian Service members in today's U.S. military were permitted to make reference to their sexual orientation, while subject to the same standards of conduct as all other Service members, we assess that most would continue to be private and discreet about their personal lives. This discretion would occur for reasons having nothing to do with law, but everything to do with a desire to fit in, co-exist, and succeed in the military environment. This line of logic makes sense. There is no reason why an openly gay service member should want to let their sexuality be an issue in their job performance. What incentive do they have to be a source of discord? The two documents help to build on a growing picture of acceptance of homosexuality as a normal way of life that is outpacing even some liberal and Democratic positions. It used to be that "civil unions" were seen as a decent liberal compromise on the issue of gay marriage. Now, even civil unions get mocked for being a half-hearted attempt to skirt the issue of gay marriage: At this point the only surprise is that liberals are not using the phrase "separate but equal" as a way to object to civil unions. The trend line is clear. Institutions are now able to state that the barriers which have held back homosexuals from engaging in the same activities as heterosexuals are largely artificial, and likely to crumble as society recognizes that sexual orientation is neither a sin nor a mark of deviancy, but instead a fully acceptable way of life that does not need to be stigmatized or given special treatment. 
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