Like I was Saying...

In yesterday's post, I stated that Texas comes up a Day Late and a Dollar Short when it comes to the Civil Rights of their LGBT citizens.  I illustrated the point with the story of failed City Council candidate Richard Sheridan who left the homophobic rant on  a D Magazine reporter's voice mail.  Well the tale continues as it seem that Sheridan turned up at Wednesday' City Council meeting and proceeded to pass out anti-Gay fliers to Council Members and spectators alike.  His actions drew outrage at the meeting and now the Council is considering altering their open mike rules and reviewing its guidelines on abusive speakers.  

Meanwhile, the Texas House of Representatives did not want to be found lacking in the wing-nuttery action department.  They passed a bill and sent it on to the Senate that would allow student organizations at any of the state’s public universities to willfully violate nondiscrimination policies and refuse membership to whomever they choose.  Student organizations could discriminate against and deny any prospective member:

(1) who demonstrates opposition to the organization’s stated beliefs and purposes; or
(2) whose membership in the organization: (A) would affect in a significant way the organization’s ability to advocate public or private viewpoints; or (B) is designed for the subversive intent of undermining the organization’s ability to assemble for its stated purposes.

Basically any organization could use these criteria to discriminate against any person for any reason if they claimed either of the above criteria.  That would give student organizations a wholesale license to  discriminate on the bases of age, race, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender or gender expression, HIV status or even if they just did not like the prospect for whatever reason.  They would just have to claim their "views or beliefs were contrary to the stated views and beliefs of the organization."  This just proves that homophobia, bigotry and wing-nuttery are alive and well here in Texas.  It will be a long time before enough of these neanderthals die off for the voices of reason and equality to play any significant part in the way things are done around here.  Sad to say but it is the unvarnished truth.  It does not make me want to quit fighting for our rights, but it sure does frustrate the hell out of me sometimes.  Thankfully I have these pages to rant and rave in or else I would already be a basket case and ready to be locked away with heavy medications to keep me docile. 

Now that the rant is over, let's get to some Music and Men to brighten up our Friday.  Your Musical Moment for today features the wonderful and superb twelve harpsichord toccatas by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 - 1643) taken from the famous "Primo Libro di Toccate e Partite d'Intavolatura di Cimbalo" (published by Nicolò Borboni in Rome in 1615).  This beautiful and elegant performance by Laura Alvini was recorded in 1982 and subsequently released on CD in 1988.

Following today's video is a delightfully delicious collection of handsome young men who are Naked or Nearly So for you to cruise and peruse on your way down the page.  Thanks for spending part of your Friday with me, see you again during the weekend for this week's review of the Best of the Web This Week.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!