Another pernicious piece of discrimination and bigotry has gone under the wheels of progress, and not a day too soon. How legislators can twist themselves and our country into illogical contortions of ignorance that blatantly violate constitutional rights with such laws as DADT, is beyond me. But not really given so many other shameful statutes such as the DOM act that is supposed to protect straight marriage. Protect from what? DODT protect troops from what? Is sexual orientation a form of disease? (photo: Col. Grete Cammermeyer) DODT was a piece of legislation but it was also symbolic of how socially diseased our conservative branch of culture is, how much our much balled Christian democracy can violate all spiritual decency and secular fairness. I am repeatedly amazed at how much supposedly cognizant, rational, 21st century legislators can be so ignorant of their own irrational, undemocratic thinking that is based on

Leading Republican candidates can’t wait to broadcast their bigotry against gay Americans. Incredibly, in public statements they are shamelessly lining up to promote discrimination as part of their conservative platforms. What kind of humanistic, religious, American leadership can they possibly offer when they advocate overt abuse of human rights with their in-humanistic, un-Christian, anti-American rhetoric.–against gay marriage and in favor of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. It is more than shameful. It is fascism in disguise to deliberately advocate scorn, denial, derision, contempt against those who do not think as they do. This is demagoguery in its vilest from. Their blatant homophobic assertions attempt to discredit same-sex sexual orientation as a natural phenomenon, despite countless scientific studies to the contrary. They prefer to blindly follow religious mythology on this issue and express sincere ‘belief’ in that vague source. Such vile propagandizing

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 3, 2011 In the past week I have visited the mansions of three early presidents of America: Jefferson’s ‘Monticello’ (photo right), Monroe’s ‘Ashlawn’ and Andrew Jackson’s ‘Hermitage’, in Virginia and Tennessee. Viewing these stately properties a modern visitor can glimpse a past way of life both elegant as well as rustic. The dark side of these these presidential estates, as well as most other estate owners, is that the landed gentry owned many black slaves who were indentured for life and considered as property to be treated according to the whim of their owners. Modern docent guides give sanitized lectures on the plantation life of the late 18th and early 19th centuries as visitors stroll along manicured garden pathways viewing the neatly restored gardens, kitchens, barnyards and rough-hewn slave cabins. To make matters worse for the blacks, these former presidents, before and after their terms

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 31, 2011 Memorial Day is different from other holidays. Unlike Thanksgiving, Fourth of July or religious festivals where the celebrations recall rather abstract events, Memorial Day for me is about a particular person known and loved by his family and friends. Memorial Day is both a remembrance of millions of lives cut short by war and a remembrance of my granduncle, John Ammon (photo right), who was killed in the mud of France just before World War I ended in 1918. He was thirty years old–an orphan, a patriot, a noble friend and loving brother, a doting uncle, a caring companion and a fearless soldier. He deserves more homage than I can give here. As a small gesture of honor, I went to his grave today in a quiet corner of Arlington National Cemetery (photo below right). The modest white granite marker is almost never

By Richard AmmonGlobalGayz.comJanuary 2, 2011 Some cheerful new this New Years week as reported in the New York Times today: The new Gay-Straight Alliance Club in the conservative town of St. George, Utah, “is part of a drastic rise this past fall in the number of clubs statewide, reflecting new activism by gay and lesbian students, an organizing drive by a gay rights group and the intervention of the American Civil Liberties Union, which has threatened to sue districts that put up arbitrary hurdles.” Last January, only 9 high schools in Utah had active Gay-Straight Alliances; by last month, the number had risen to 32. “It was a turning point here and for the state, where administrators, teachers and even the Legislature have tried for years to block support groups for gay youths, calling them everything from inappropriate to immoral…” (Photo right by Jim Wilson for the NY Times; ‘Love

Chicago’s Soldier Field was the host venue for the opening ceremony of Gay Games VII in July 2006. About 11,000 athletes from nearly 50 countries entered the field to the cheers of about 40,000 people. At the end of the evening the Gay Games torch was lit.

About 800 swimmers from dozens of countries spent Gay Games VII week in competition at the University of Chicago Ratner aquatic complex. Many of the swimmers’s home cities were evident from the logos on their swim suits. GlobalGayz owner Richard Ammon won several medals. (photos #47 and 48) Other nearby sports during the week were martial arts and women’s tag football. (last seven photos)

Random views of Chicago city and gay Boystown. Chicago was the host city for Gay Games VII . It is a city full of architectural wonder and scenic beauty along Lake Michigan. The gay district (Boystown) along Halsey Street was decked out in rainbow flags as thousands of visitors enjoyed the cafes and restuarants and shops. The Gay Games were also a financial success.

Chicago’s Wrigley Field was the host venue for the closing ceremony of Gay Games VII in July 2006. Participant athletes entered the field to the cheers of about 25,000 people. Mayor Richard Daley helped transfer the Gay Games flag to the deputy mayor of Cologne, Germany for the next Games in 2010. The star singer for the event was Cyndi Lauper, dressed as Miss Liberty in rainbow attire.

San Francisco was host to the first Gay Games in 1982 when it started under the leadership of Dr. Tom Waddell, a gay Olympian who saw the need for a sporting celebration of gay pride. Sadly, Waddell died of AIDS in 1987 not long after the second Gay Games in 1986, also held in San Francisco. His battle against HIV/AIDS is depicted in the award-winning documentary Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt. Waddell wrote an autobiography titled Gay Olympian with fellow sports writer Dick Schaap. Waddell would be greatly pleased to see that Gay Games is in its 7th version and has become the world’s largest sporting and cultural event for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. (The 1986 Games were the first Games participated in by GlobalGayz owner Richard Ammon, in swimming, hence the majority of swim photos in this gallery.) Posted Aliso Viejo, California, United States.

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com September 4, 2010 At 0655 this early September morning a few golden rays of the sun penetrated through the earth’s atmosphere, through the forest of summer trees into our cottage and landed on the stone fireplace in our bedroom. The stones lit up with flickering morning light, a bit like those dancing squares games found in arcades. Each stone a different shape and color flickering light and dark as the wind swayed the trees and rustled the leaves outside. I watched with a bit of wonder at this dance of light on stone, the ethereal distant and the hard local. Then it occurred to me this was the end of the trip for these few beams; they had traveled 93 million miles to land here in this room, to morph themselves from light to heat. The time it takes light to travel this distance is 500

By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com June 25, 2010 A hundred years ago today my grandparents, Francis and Cora, were married and our immediate family began. I have no family memory beyond that–photos and stories yes but no memories. My paternal great-grandfather died in 1915. My maternal great-grandmother lived to 1938, before my birth. But starting a hundred years ago with the wedding I have living memory because I knew these two people for almost 30 years before they died. I knew them and I know four generations that came from them: Francis and Cora, my father, my siblings and my nephew and nieces. A century of a family is a sizable chunk of heritage, with countless events and vivid memories of long ago and last week. As I reflect on this time and the people who brought me here I feel connected to 1910, moving back through through real personalities, specific

From: Examiner.com October 31, 2009 Sonoma County (California) Civil Rights Examiner By Megan Cofey The expanded federal Hate Crime Prevention Act, named for 1998 victims Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. and signed into law by President Obama on October 28, may end up being much more significant than its scope would suggest. Although the Department of Justice avers that hate crime statutes deter bias-motivated attacks, it offers no statistics to substantiate that claim. Certainly the original 1969 federal law—which covered hate crimes based on the victims’ race, color, religion or national origin—was not sufficient to save the life of the new law’s less famous namesake, James Byrd, Jr., who was killed because he was black. And even if the new measure had been in effect when its other namesake, Matthew Shepard, was killed for being gay, it is unlikely that his crystal-meth-bingeing attackers would have been rational enough to

Westhampton, MA – October 15, 2009 Richard Ammon -GlobalGayz.com In case you missed being there, here are three videos of the Equality March on Washington: Equality Across America They speak loud and clear about the message. Read more: Gay Rally in US capital Posted Laguna Niguel, California, United States.

Westhampton, MA – October 11, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com Last night President Obama gave a speech at a Human Rights Campaign fund-raising dinner in DC. This is remarkable in itself since no other president has ever given specific attention to a gay organization in a public forum. The press were there and captured his speech on paper and tape and video and YouTube. (Also see the controversial graffiti incident that followed.) His attendance at this event, the night before a mass LGBT-rights rally in the city on National Coming Out Day, was partly motivated by the disgruntled noise LGBT leaders have made over the past few months in response to DADT, DOMA and gay marriage issues. His speech was an effort to assuage the aggravation felt in our community, by some, that he was not moving fast enough to rid these discriminatory statutes from our country. The arguments against

Westhampton, MA – September 30, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com The September 27, 2009 New York Times Magazine cover story of a 13 year-old boy who has come out at school is notable in many ways: -it was published by America’s premier newspaper -it was made a daring headline story with photos -it’s about homosexual youth in school -it is set in conservative Oklahoma -it includes gay boys and lesbian girls under the age of consent -it portrays very courageous individuals who risk homophobic behavior -it also portrays supportive parents, as well as schools and teachers -it acknowledges that youth well under 18 have romantic and sexual lives Some readers will say it’s been said before others will think it’s too aggressive, part of the homosexual agenda some will not let their children read it others will gather around it at a parents’ meeting for validation But one thing the

Westhampton, MA – September 24, 2009 Richard Ammon – GlobalGayz.com The National Equality March (NEM) is being organized by Equality Across America (EAA) with one simple demand: full equality for all GLBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. Now. Events are now taking place in every state as a national call to action to support full equality for GLBT people in all matters governed by civil law in the United States. Whether you plan to travel to the March or not, San Diego activists can participate in other meaningful ways. The following are ten things that anyone can do in advance of the NEM: 1) Banners and flyers – The National Equality March has promotional materials for downloading and distributing to encourage people to come to Washington, D.C. and support the March. (http://equalityacrossamerica.org/blog/?page_id=1867) 2) Friends and word of mouth – Sunday, Oct. 11 is

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.” From GlobalGayz.com: Richard Ammon, owner Westhampton, MA I grew up with the Kennedys in our government, the longest serving being Ted Kennedy. He was a presence in my life ever since I could vote and he liked gay people from the start, so of course I liked him – and we were both from Massachusetts where gay people can now get married. He was the right person for this state and for gay rights at the right time. He was a lucky boy, a foolish young man and a font of liberal wisdom in his maturity. I felt comforted by his presence in this homophobic world. A protector indeed. I am sad at his passage but I am enormously grateful for his life of

About 11,000 athletes from 60 countries marched into the 1976 Olympic Stadium to open the OutGames before an audience of 75,000. The featured speakers were the mayor of Montreal, Olympic swimming medalist Mark Tewksbury and tennis champ Martina Navratilova. The featured openly lesbian singer was k.d.lang.

Four days prior to the OutGames sports events an international gay human rights conference was held at the Palais des Congres in downtown Montreal, July 26-29, 2006. 1500 delegates from over 100 countries attended making it the largest LGBT rights conference ever held. Organizers plan to hold similar conferences with future OutGames. More information can be seen at: www.glisa.org One of the main purposes of the Conference was to raise the profile of gay. lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights at the United Nations and in other international forums and organizations, and to show national governments that LGBT human rights must be taken seriously as an international human rights issue. At the close of the conference the "Declaration of Montreal" was presented demanding action by the United Nations, international organizations and national governments regarding LGBT human rights. Shown here are random images of some of the hundreds of presenters

The swimming took place in the 1976 Olympic stadium pool, a 50 meter pool with separate diving and warm-up pools. The estimate was about 900 swimmers from 20 countries. Most of the images here speak for themselves. The last dozen images in this gallery were taken at the Dragon Boat competition held at another Olympic venue in the Parc Jean-Drapeau.

For the fourth time in its 22-year history the Gay Games were held in the USA. Starting in San Francisco in 1984 and 1986, New York in 1994 and Chicago 2006, The Games carry on the spirit of founder Tom Waddell’s vision of ‘Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best’. GlobalGayz owner, Richard Ammon, was there competing in swimming (since 1986) at the University of Chicago pool along with a thousand other swimmers. It was truly a week of validation, intense schedules and physical exertion– with impressive sight-seeing squeezed in. Also see: Gay USA Stories Gay USA News & Reports 2002 to present Gay Games Photo Galleries By Richard Ammon Chicago July 2006 The 7th version of Tom Waddell’s dream unfolded this week in Chicago when thousands of spectators and athletes gathered at two dozen venues to run, swim, jump, bike, dribble, wrestle, dance or bowl in competition to win gold, silver

Montreal was the host city for the first world OutGames in August 2006. The city was welcoming and blocked traffic from the main street of The Village, the gay district, as thousand of visitors strolled up and down shopping and eating at the many cafes and restaurants–and looking at each other. The opening and closing ceremonies as well as some of the athletic events took place in the 1976 Olympic stadium. The city has a variety of architectural and visual delights.

The real ‘Gay USA’ story, even part of it, is far too big to tell on one article. Listed in the Gay USA News & Reports of this site are many pages and years with hundreds of stories that express the wide range of edges in the ongoing American revolution against repression, fear and ignorance toward natural varieties of human sexuality. Also see: Gay USA Stories Gay USA News & Reports 2002 to present Gay Games Photo Galleries By Richard Ammon January 2004 Updated July 2006 In 1969 a small group of drag queens, gay men and lesbians resisted a police raid on their local hangout, the Stonewall Bar in New York City. That was about thirty-five years ago–a generation and a half. Since that particular event the USA has seen a cultural war spread from coast to coast and in every state and capital as well as far abroad.

About 11,000 athletes from 60 countries marched into the 1976 Olympic Stadium to open the OutGames before an audience of 75,000. The featured speakers were the mayor of Montreal, Olympic swimming medalist Mark Tewksbury and tennis champ Martina Navratilova. The featured openly lesbian singer was k.d.lang.