Now we’re talking. Barack Obama has finally gotten rid of the ridiculous and archaic ban on HIV-positive people traveling to the United States (the US was basically the only country in the Western world with this law). The new rules take effect in January — as the Department of Health and Human Services is given 60 days to enact the new rules — meaning HIV status is no longer a factor in issuing visas or immigration papers.
Obama’s statement:
“Twenty-two years ago, in a decision rooted in fear rather than fact, the United States instituted a travel ban on entry into the country for people living with HIV/AIDS. Now, we talk about reducing the stigma of this disease—yet we’ve treated a visitor living with it as a threat. We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the AIDS pandemic—yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people from HIV from entering our own country. If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it. And that’s why, on Monday my administration will publish a final rule that eliminates the travel ban effective just after the New Year. Congress and President Bush began this process last year, and they ought to be commended for it. We are finishing the job. It’s a step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment, it’s a step that will keep families together, and it’s a step that will save lives. ”
At a meeting of the G20 in Pittsburgh last Friday, Canadian PM Stephen Harper declared that Canada “was the envy of the world,” going on and on in a rant rich with error and embarrassments:
“Canada remains in a very special place in the world. ... We are the one major developed country that no one thinks has any responsibility for this [financial] crisis,” he said to laughter. “In fact, on the contrary, they look at our policies as a solution to the crisis. We’re the one country in the room everybody would like to be.”
Harper then said the other G20 nations “would like to be an advanced developed economy with all the benefits that conveys to its citizens and at the same time not have been the source, or have any of the domestic problems, that created this crisis,” and follow that gem up with: “We’re so self-effacing as Canadians that we sometimes forget the assets we do have that other people see… We are one of the most stable regimes in history… We also have no history of colonialism. So we have all of the things that many people admire about the great powers but none of the things that threaten or bother them.”
First and foremost, Mr. Harper, did you forget that Canada has “no history of colonialism” because we WERE a colony? And as for the rest of your wrongful boasting… Yes, I’m sure China, France, Brazil, India, Germany, the US, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the UK, Japan… they ALL want to be just like us, Mr. Harper. I’m sure that’s all they think about. Having such little economic power on the international spectrum that there’s no way they even could have any responsibility for a global economic crisis. And seriously stop with this “we’re so self-effacing” as Canadians bullshit. If anyone’s ever proven that theory wrong, it was you. Just now.
As a dear friend pointed out on his Facebook wall, the fact that this happened four days ago and has failed to be “pilloried in the national media for making us the laughing stock of the international community” is quite telling as to how intellectual ignorant Canadians are (myself included, to a degree) to our own politics and representation to the international community.
Say what you will about Bill Maher, but this monologue - that simultaneously critiques and admires Obama insightfully, hilariously, and without contraction - is pretty fantastic:
USA Today is reporting that Charlie Crist is expected to announce is run for senate tomorrow. He will bid to replace retiring Sen. Mel Martinez in the 2010 election.
Crist is doing so just days after Kirby Dick’s doc Outrage makes it 100% clear that Crist is a homo.
A little background, care of my education through seeing Outrage:
In 2006 Charlie Crist became the first bachelor governor of Florida in 40 years. He had been married once — for six months in 1979 — but took a vow of celibacy for many of the years to follow. Shortly after being elected governor Crist finally gave up that vow for former Miss South Carolina Kelly Heyniger. The two broke up in 2007. When Heyniger was approached by Kirby Dick this is what she said:
“I think I should keep my mouth shut,” Heyniger told Dick. “Contact me in 10 years and I’ll tell you a story.”
Crist has since found a beard that will stick around - Carole Rome, who is expected to be at the announcement tomorrow.
USA Today, of course, mentioned nothing of the Crist’s not-so-alleged-anymore homosexuality. Which falls nicely in line with this story from indieWIRE this morning - in which NPR trimmed its review of the film, cutting mentions of Crist and the others outed in the film. Critic Nathan Lee, who wrote the piece, subsequently removed his byline from the article in protest and lodged a comment on the NPR site, which was also quickly removed by NPR executives.
(and a little UPDATE: CNN, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, and MSNBC all obviously reported on Charlie Crist running for senate yesterday (for a more detailed rant on that, click here or just scroll down to the entry 3 down from this one), and not one mentioned that there had been a documentary film released four days ago that outs Charlie Crist as a homosexual).
So what the fuck is going to happen during Crist’s campaign for senator?
Are mainstream outlets STILL going to ignore the PROVEN FACT that not only is Crist is a big homo who has fucked, among countless others, a 21 year old GOP staffer named Jason Wetherington (who also, god help him, worked for Katherine Harris) - but that Crist is a big homo who campaigned for a same-sex marriage ban, openly supported Florida’s ban on gay adoption and has appointed two hardline antigay justices.
It saddens me that Outrage only averaged $7,000 this weekend at the box office. And this was on 5 screens in gay-friendly neighbourhoods. This is a really important, pivotal piece of investigative documentary that SHOULD make it impossible for people like Crist to try and run for senator without acknowledging his being a big homo. But I’m starting to fear it won’t.
Look at this clip, FROM THREE YEARS AGO. Why doesn’t anybody want to acknowledge this?
The Globe and Mail is reporting a surprising event set to take place in Toronto next month: Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will appear together on a public stage for a moderated “conversation” that is expected to last about two hours. Its expected to me amicable, which seems strange considering Bush basically destroyed everything Clinton accomplished.
The event is credited to event planners Andy McCreath and Christian Darbyshire, who also landed Mr. Bush for his first post-presidential appearance in Calgary this past March. It is not known whether this occasion will be closed to the press, as was the first Bush event. Ticket prices were also not available. Although speakers’ fees are not divulged, there were reports Mr. Bush received as much as $200,000 for his March appearance in Calgary. The moderator has yet to be chosen (though may I make a suggestion).
I’m going to be in Toronto on May 29th, so hopefully I can find a way to attend, and hopefully its not quite as amicable as suggested.
Syndicate this site