Arkansas Blog

If we can believe in a beautiful future for mankind, it's because we believe in our own capability to create that future with our own minds and spirit and intellects and hands and courage and power. Not because a benign Nature is going to hand it to us on a silver platter just because we wish it would happen already.

I believe it is greatly apparent that a great majority of Americans that voted for the Bush Administration voted out of fear. Since September 11th, our nation has lost the ability to think on their own. This has got to be turned around. The charade must be ended.

This adminstration and most Republicans alike have no interest in equal rights for the gay/lesbian community, I don't care what the Log Cabin Republican group has to say. If they want to settle for unequal but somewhat better rights they are not ready to fight the battle. Our community deserves much better!

With everything at stake concerning equal rights, foreign relations, the economy, and the environment, I can't understand why more people can't see anything other than what is in front of their face.

Granted, we don't seem to have strong leadership in the Democratic Party like what we had when Clinton was in office, however if Democrats don't start becoming a more active participant, and forcing the Democratic Party to represent the fundamental principles that the Democratic Party is designed to represent we will never have great leadership.

We have an opportunity to take the country back and put it in the hands of the Democratic Party or we can sit back and wish for a better world. This is a turning point. If we keep the Republicans in office, we may just see the lifespan of our lives become the most depressing means of living beyond comprehension.

It's time to wake up!! Get involved!! Get Smart!

These are my opinions.

There are no public tickets available for this debate.

"Hence not a real PUBLIC DEBATE,or Public discourse, we should not watch this debate its meaningless to the VOTER 's of Arkansas"

I wonder if Beebe's staff will show up again looking like Jethro Bodine, wearing their dirty hats to the debate.

Any idea who will moderate the debate? Presumably one of the Channel 4 talking heads (i.e., Bob Clausen or Jancey Sheats)?

I'm surprised it wasn't KATV. The Disney/ABC has already shown it's desire to join the 'fair and balanced" illusion of "Faux TV" and the EEC.
At least, it wasn't a television station I watched.

Perhaps one day, we can rid ourselves of the taint of current Republican/Democrat imperialism and arrogance and have true open public debates again.

Gay Americans' Gaining Visibility
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

October 10, 2006 - 1:00 pm ET

(Washington) As schools, colleges and community groups across the country prepare to observe National Coming Out Day on Wednesday two new reports show encouraging signs of LGBT acceptance.

The first report is a national survey that found that seven out of ten heterosexual adults in the United States say that they know someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

The online poll, conducted by Harris Interactive in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, was taken from September 7 to 14 and involved 2,932 adults.

Furthermore, 83 percent of those who self-identify as gay or lesbian consider themselves "out".

In general, when asked if they considered themselves open about their sexual orientation, 92 percent of gays and lesbians said they are "out" to their close friends and 78 percent said they are "out" to their parents.

Many gays and lesbians also say they are "out" to other relatives such as grandparents or cousins and to co-workers and colleagues.

The second new report provides even further insight into what living openly means to the advancement of equal rights. Not only are more Americans becoming familiar with the lives of GLBT people but as they become more familiar they are more supportive.

Titled, "'Coming Out' and Americans' Attitudes on Gay Rights," the report was done by the Hunter College Center for Sexuality and Public Policy at the City University of New York.

Conducted by Kenneth Sherrill, Professor of Political Science at Hunter College, and Patrick Egan, Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Democratic Politics at Princeton University, the report draws upon the first-ever national archive of public opinion surveys about GLBT Americans.

The archive, which is being developed through a partnership between Hunter College and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, currently holds 120 public opinion polls on subjects relating to GLBT rights.

The new report, compiling data from a wide variety of polling finds that, in 2001, having a gay or lesbian family member raised the typical American's support for gay marriage by 17 percentage points, and it raise d the typical American's support for adoption rights for gay couples by 13 percentage points.

Using data from 2004, the report finds that contact with gays and lesbians is associated with an 13-percentage-point increase in support for some sort of legal recognition of same-sex couples (either marriage or civil unions) among heterosexual Americans who are otherwise typical with respect to characteristics such as age, education and political party.

Similarly, personal knowledge of a gay or lesbian person was associated with a 13-point decrease in support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would ban same-sex marriages.

These two newly released reports now provide us with even greater insight to how important it is for us to live our lives openly and honestly by telling our stories," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

"If seven out of 10 heterosexuals know someone who is GLBT, then many gays and lesbians are making their identity apparent as a natural part of their lives - just like their age, height, hair color or personality," said Mark Shields, director of the Human Rights Campaign's National Coming Out Project.

"For most people, coming out or opening up to someone starts with a conversation. And for those interested in fostering strong, deep relationships with their friends and family, living openly often allows for closer relationships with the people they care about most."

The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated on October 11, 1988 to mark the anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Equality.

Asa and Mike missed a good opportunity to talk with the people of South Arkansas Tuesday night. The UofA Monticello hosted a debate and had invited all of the Gubernatorial candidates. The million dollar candidates refused to show up. They refuse to appear at any venue where they can't dictate the process. That certainly isn't leadership; it's cowardly bullying.

If this is the respect they show voters before the election, what kind of respect will they show us after the election?

Below I post some information from the Clinton School Website. I guess they will have to revise the text after next week's tax-payer financed discriminatory "debate."

Please give a call to KARK and the Clinton School to let them know how you feel about their "Public Service" that excludes the public.

Core Values and Beliefs of the Clinton School

Responsibility
We believe that public service is a high calling and that trained leaders are essential to the development of vibrant communities. We believe that those who aspire to careers in public service have a responsibility to others.

Service
We believe that all individuals should be able to reach their potential, and that public servants must find ways in which to engage those who are marginalized so that they can be advocates for bettering their own lives and can take responsibility for the development of their own communities

We believe, in consequence, that special efforts are often necessary to ensure that all individuals are fully able to participate in, and without exclusion from, political and economic decisions that impact their lives.

Leadership
We believe that successful leaders must listen to and learn from diverse groups, must be willing to compromise and build alliances, must be capable of taking strategic and decisive action, and must be able to inspire others. We believe that integrity, compassion, and a commitment to justice are among the qualities essential to the success of those who lead.

Preparation
We believe that leadership education for public service, like the work in which public servants are engaged, must respond to the varied political, economic, social, cultural, and geographic environments in which leaders are called to act.

University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service
1200 President Clinton Ave. (Sturgis Hall)
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501.683.5200 Email: admissions@clintonschool.uasys.edu

I am a student at UAM and I am glad that Dr. Sitton gave Mr. Bryan and Mr. Lendall the opportunity to debate before the students in southeast Arkansas. After the debate I was left thinking, being as liberal as i am, why the HELL would I ever vote for anyone but guys like them? I like both them equally. It will be hard to cast a vote against either of these candidates. I praise them both for their efforts in trying to change Arkansas politics for the better.