Because They're Gay

I posted a comment on a gay blog lastnight. The blog, on queerty.com
was refering to the story about Greg Barker the Conservative MP who recently split from his wife after it was revealed he had had a gay affair.

I have previously blogged about this on myspace, titled "60.1% Anti Gay".

My simple 15 word comment, refering to the fact that politicians who resign tend to make come backs when the public have forgotten their , and I quote "crime".
Now I used crime as a catch all word, a way to describe indiscretions like Cecil Parkinson and full blown " your nicked " situations like Jeffery Archer.
However, because of the use of the word crime, and because the previous comment to mine had the word "sleazy" in it, someone got very upset and accused us of being more right wing than the Daily Mail and worst of all... homophobes!!!
If you would like to see the comment and my reply please click on the link queerty.com

Now, I realy do get pissed off with people who think that just because I'm gay I should be some bleeding heart liberal who will forgive anyone, anything, because I'm gay so therefore I'm in no possition to critisize!
BOLLOCKS!!!
As you will see from my comment on queerty, my problem isn't with this MP having an affair, its with his appauling record on gay issues..., but apparently I should forgive this... because he's gay!
Apparently, I should support all gay people and not question their actions.... because they're gay!
When I was younger I guess I did lean more to the far left in my views, I think this may have been a reaction to the Thatcher government. However, as I have got older I find that I am now centre left on some issues and on others centre right. I don't really see that being gay should preclude me from having these views.
My mom is costantly surprised when I air my views on topics that she would assume I would support or not support, depending on the issue. I guess she thinks that being gay makes me see things differently, makes me feel sorry for people because I should know what its like to be critrisized! Well, yes, I do know what it is like to be on the recieving end of unjustified critisism, critisism that comes from ignorance, but that dosn't mean that given the facts on something I am going to keep my mouth shut and not have an opinion. Or put another way, I'm not going to support someone just because they are the underdog!
Gay people are just as infallible as anyone else in society and I realy don't think that we should feel obliged to side with or support someone who, if they were straight, we would not support. Or to withhold critisim.......

Because they're gay!!!

BA is British AIRWAYS.... Not ANGLICANS!!! - Originaly posted on myspace on 24th November 2006

BBC News

This whole up roar over the stupid woman who wants to wear her cross to work is so bloody boring and incredibly annoying. People struggle every day in jobs they hate, under appauling conditions and for low pay. Yet everyone from politicians to religious leaders have jumped to the defence of a woman who wants to be bloody awkward!
I get sick of hearing news reports which say that BA are banning her from wearing her cross.... they are not!!! They have a company policy that jewelry should be hidden.
So why should this policy be changed just for the religious?
Should the trolley dollys be alowed to flaunt their nipple rings?
Is her religious belief so fragile that wearing her cross on the outside of her clothes makes all the difference to her?
Does her god not exist if he isn't rammed in everyones face?
If BA cave in and give way to these christian crazies it will open the flood gates for other demands by god botherer's... which ever god that may be!!!

Recycled Prisoners - Originaly posted on myspace on 23 November

Once again the British Tax Payer has to fork out for another hard luck story, this time an alledged wrongly convicted Liverpool football fan.
He was convicted of the attempted murder of a barman in Bulgaria and given a 10 year sentence. But in a deal worked out by Bularian and British officials, he will be allowd to return to the UK and spend the rest of his sentence in a UK jail.
Question: Why should we have to pay for the board and keep of a con, tried and convicted in a foreign country?
Its bad enough that Britains jails are full to bursting point, but then to have other countries sending us their prisoners is taking the piss!
I'm affraid the bleeding heart's who have campaigned to get him sent home should be sent the bill for keeping him!
BBC News

Miss Nona Hendryx

In 1987 I saw a short video clip on a music show, I think it must have been the Roxy or the Chart Show, anyway, what I saw was a gorgeous black woman in a state of the art (remember its the 80's) video. The song was called "Why Should I Cry" and the artist was Nona Hendryx.
Even though it was just a sneek peek at the video I loved the song and immediatly bought the 12".
I found out from a friend who I worked with at the time that Nona used to be a member of Labelle, Patti Labelles group in the 70's. I was already a huge Patti fan so I was eager to hunt down Labelle material...after all, if it had Nona and Patti in it, it had to be good. I wasn't wrong and for years I have enjoyed their old material.

Jump to 2006 and I've just been searching YouTube and in a moment of inspiration I thought to look up Nona....
Well, here ladies and gentlemen is the video, the first time I have seen this video in 19 years and the first time I have seen it in its entirety...
Please, a big hand, for NONA HENDRYX!!!!!!!!

Depression

I went to the doctors this week. Wednesday to be precise. I had been summoned to see a doctor before they would continue with my repeat prescription for the anti depressant Seroxat.
I've been on this drug for about 7 years now and up untill recently I took it religiously every day.
The past year though I began to cut down slowly untill a couple of months ago when I stopped taking them.
This wasn't the first time that I had tried to wean myself of them, I have attepted this at least 3 times before over the past 7 years, each time having to start taking them again when the old syptoms returned.
This time though I was more confident that I would be successful. 18 months ago I moved to the country, got a new job and things seemed calm in my life. It was for this reason that I decided to have one more go at coming of the tablets. I felt I owed it to myself to at least attempt it.
I should say that my syptoms are quite mild compared to some sufferers of depression, a lack of serotonin has caused me to suffer spells of melancholy ( I realy don't know how to describe how I used to feel, this seems like as good a word as any). I wasn't even aware that what I was experiencing was depression untill a doctor who took the time to speak to me diagnosed it. I had gone to him because I had been feeling run down.... little did I know!
When he first told me that what I had felt inside for so many years was infact depression I felt a mixture of emotions. Walking out the doctors office with a prescription for anti depresants was a shock and I was embarressed but relieved at the outcome.
Trying to describe the difference the tablets made to me is difficult, depression isn't like a pain or ache that you can express to others. But I felt like a mist had lifted... if that sounds corny I'm sorry but there is no other way to explain how I felt when the tablets kicked in.
Begining the course of tablets also jump started me to examine diet and lifestyle, excersise became important to me as well as cutting down of cafine and other food sources that mimic the actions of depression.
So, 7 years later I'm still on the tablets, I'm open about it to evryone who knows me, the only people I have kept it from are my parents... I realy don't think they would understand, my mom especially would fret if she knew.
The 3 , now 4 failed attempts at coming of Seroxat isn't a problem for me, my previous doctor said that many people never come of them ( the idea of mild anti depressants like seroxat is to kick start the brain into producing its own seratonin, some people, like myself, can't produce enough)
I try and view it this way... many people put far worse things into their bodies day in day out, in the form of junk food, cigarettes and illegal drugs, but I, by popping one small pill, can enjoy life unhindered with depression.
I began this blog by saying that I had gone to the doctors for a renewed repeat prescription, this would normaly not be a big deal, but because I am now registered at a new doctors because I moved I was a little worried that the doctor might give me a hard time and quiz me on why I felt the need to stay on the tablets, luckily he seemed happy with the fact that I had attempted one last withdrawl and actioned a repeat prescription for a year.
I realy wish I was eloquent enough to describe the change that those tiny white tablets have made to my life, but I can't, and I won't attempt to do so for fear of understating the good they have done me.
All I will say is that they are not mood altering anti depressants, they just put the individual on a level playing field. I still have moods (just ask my partner), but I also have joy... genuine, NATURAL happiness...
I have no idea why I have just sat here with Star Trek: TNG on the tv and wrote this blog... but here it is!