MikeHowardSWFL's Blog

Most Beautiful Romani Song EVER!!

mikehowardswfl — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:01:57 +0000

Had to save this somewhere safe!”:

Uganda Death Penalty for Homosexuals

mikehowardswfl — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:17:20 +0000

While we fight for the right to marry here in the states, Uganda is considering and expected to overwhelmingly pass legislation that would make homosexuality punishable by death, whereas right now it is “only” a life imprisonment sentence. To add even more evil to this heinous crime against humanity, the legislation would also include strict prison terms for those who don’t turn in suspected homosexuals, even Priests who are obligated by their religious laws to NEVER reveal anything told them in the confessional booth could be imprisoned for 3 or more years. Family members, friends, neighbors who don’t turn in a suspected homosexual would be imprisoned for 7 years or more. An American “Christian” organization called The Family, formerly The Fellowship, is DIRECTLY behind this legislation AND has tie to US Senators Brownback and Inhofe. See the article link below for more info:

http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2009/11/the_familys_ties_to_ugandas_an.php

New Sources

mikehowardswfl — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:10:30 +0000

A new Publix just opened a few miles from my house, right on the way to work and it is HUGE!!!! All businesses base production partly on historical sales, but a brand new store doesn’t have such records, only educated guesses. Publix is more worried about running low on prepared products like butchered meats and deli products, so they will certainly have more waste in the first few months than usual, so I’m hoping that their management will be receptive to my requests to be allowed to pick up the “waste” once a week.

Also trying to sign us up for Wake Up America, which will be like a secondary source of foods for your clients to supplement what we are able to get from Harry Chapin Food Bank. Let’s hope and pray that these efforts bear fruit!

World AIDS Day at Centenniel Park

mikehowardswfl — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:32:03 +0000

World AIDS Day at Centenniel Park was awesome! The headcount was more than double of previous years, and while over 80 people is great for this area, I have learned recently that had we done just a little more work, we could have swelled those numbers to hundreds. Next year, if I am still in SWFL, I am going to spend as much time and energy as needed to accomplish that goal!

California to “ban divorce”?

mikehowardswfl — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:34:24 +0000

A very intelligent man has decided to start a petition to ban divorce in California, where voters turned out to support the defense of traditional marriage. The petition:

To: Residents of California

Protect Marriage!! Let’s ban divorce in California!!
How can the “yes on 8″ people argue with that? It’s so family-friendly. Besides, with the divorce rate being about 50%, divorce is a MUCH bigger threat to traditional marriage than is gay marriage. Divorce makes a mockery of marriage, and degrades the institution completely. It destroys children and encourages them to be future divorcees.

Come on everyone! Let’s put it as a measure on the next California ballot!

What’s that? Who am *I* to tell people they can’t dissolve their own civil marriage contracts if they choose to? Well heck, a bunch of random people just told me that I can’t ENTER into a civil marriage contract. I figure I ought to be able to tell them that they can’t GET OUT OF their civil marriage contracts. Turn about is fair play, especially since “equal protection” under the constitution doesn’t mean squat now.

I wish so badly right now that I lived there so that I could sign the petition, canvass and vote! Anyone there, PLEASE DO SO!!!!!

Thanksgiving and BAD LOCAL POLITICIANS!

mikehowardswfl — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:34:09 +0000

I am thankful that we have been able to meet the needs of most of our clients, and thanks largely to a few last minute donations we should be able to fulfill the needs of every one of them for this holiday. Gearing down from one holiday and amping up for Christmas time which will be ab bit more difficult. Donor fatigue is setting in for those who have the ability to help, which becomes fewer and fewer due to the locally depressed economy. Our unemployment is over 13%, and Charolotte County just passed several ordinances aimed at “cracking down on homelessness”, which at first sounded like they were going to help the homeless. They’re not, instead they have made it so that they can now legally harass the local needy with stiff “fines and jail time” for panhandling, vagrancy which can simply be resting your eyes at a park bench, mandatory jail time and fines for open alcoholic containers, etc. Their lists of “offenses” and punishments is steep and severe. One wonders where a homeless person will be able to find the money to pay these ridiculous fines. The jail time might be a good thing if for no reason other than “3 hots and a cot” for free. The county does little to nothing to help those in need, and as I have blogged before, even I am constantly harassed for so much as stopping to talk to these folks and share the knowledge of the places that they can go to get the help they need. I try to put my disgust at the local politicians and zealots in order to do what it takes to help people out, but really some days, like today, really drag me down.

More on the Office Pub

mikehowardswfl — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:36:12 +0000

The boys down at the Office Pub are really going out of their way to help us out! The donation boxes for food and toiletries/hygiene products are full, and they have 2 walls completely full from their paper bag purchase program! That is where they have lunch bags for sale starting at $1.00, and the buyer writes something on the bag and hangs it on a wall, 100% of the proceeds go to the ICAN food pantry budget. I find that every time I am in the bar, at least one person buys 10 bags, and two rather wealthy individuals seem to be in a “i can give more than you” war, which benefits us, so keep fighting guys! Is the moral, then, that I have to keep drinking to keep the money coming in? Get loaded to load the larder, sounds rough, eh?

A Happier Thanksgiving!

mikehowardswfl — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:58:35 +0000

Hooray for the Office Pub and its patrons! Thanks to their extreme generosity, more than 80 of our client families will be receiving a turkey and fixings for this Thanksgiving AND they are holding another fundraiser/food drive for us this weekend! It is truly a testament to the generosity and caring of the GLBT community, despite our varying political views, we all seem to care for our fellow man be they gay, straight or whatever!

Is the Catholic Church a force of good?

mikehowardswfl — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:02:43 +0000

I just watched an incredible debate on intelligence squared about whether or not the Catholic Church is a force for good in the world. Watch:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid49309340001?bclid=48759416001&bctid=49381406001

Voting for gay rights is Unamerican!

mikehowardswfl — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:30:48 +0000

Wayne Besen from Truth Wins Out (T.W.O.) wrote an article that I wholeheartedly agree with, read at:

Voting on Equal Rights Is A National Disgrace