Celebrity Briefs: Stephen Baldwin's Foreclosed Home Up for Auction June 24

I recall seeing Stephen Baldwin on cable television a few months ago, after the Proposition 8 debacle, literally chastising gays and lesbians on their sexual orientation. He says that he is a born-again Christian and is living the best life he could possibly live through his ministry, Breakthrough Ministries, which disbanded in 2008 and relaunched under the name Antioch Ministries. Now, as a Christian, though I still make mistakes, keeping one's finances in proper order are paramount. I find it utterly hypocritical that Stephen Baldwin can have the nerve to tell gays and lesbians what to do, but yet he and his wife are in arrears on their mortgage to the tune of $824,000, far more than the house cost them when they bought it in 1997, at $515,000.

The foreclosed Rockland County, N.Y., home of recent The Celebrity Apprentice and I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! contestant, is being put up for public auction June 24. The couple reportedly tried unsuccessfully to sell the property three years ago.

In addition, according to Gannett News, unpaid state and federal taxes on the property may add up to the tens of thousands. They must have shirked their responsibility and not bothered to pay mortgage holder Bankers Trust Co. for years. You see, this is what happens to rich folks when they live way beyond their means, even working class people are not immune for such pitfalls, but for a seemingly wealthy conservative Christian, that's certainly not the behavior I would expect, especially since he routinely witnesses to sinners about God's grace and goodness in his life. I am not here to cast a stone because we all have problems, but it seems really hypocritical that he could just walk about from paying for his house. At least it seems that way to me.

Supreme Court Turns Away Constitutional Challenge to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Rule

The Supreme Court announced today that it would not hear a constitutional challenge to the government’s "don’t Ask, don’t tell" policy, which bans gays from serving openly in the military. The court, essentially, sided with the Obama administration's position. In court papers, the administration said the appeals court ruled correctly in this case when it found that "don't ask, don't tell" is "rationally related to the government's legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion." This is indeed a sad moment for the gays and lesbians who have given their lives to the military, but mWhat the actions of the government is saying that you it's okay for you to serve your country, but just pretend about who you really are. That is a shame.ust live a lie.

The case, Pietrangelo v. Gates, “stemmed from a lawsuit by 12 former service members who were discharged” under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A federal appeals court in Boston threw out the suit, but James E. Pietrangelo II, one of the 12 who filed the suit, “asked the Supreme Court to hear arguments in the case. Most of the rest of the group joined a brief asking the justices to defer reviewing the policy while the administration and lawmakers revisit it.”

It's time for President Barack Obama to make good on his promise to do away with this ridiculous provision. The president isn't the only one who can change this -- your congressional representative as well as your senator share the blame for doing nothing to change this. People need to start complaining. Burn up your elected officials' telephone lines with a barrage of calls.

Gay Bishop Gene Robinson Excluded From HBO's Coverage of "We Are One" Presidential Inauguration Concert

Gays and lesbians across the United States have something else to be upset about. It seems that HBO, who provided and sponsored Sunday's big Lincoln Memorial show billed as the "We Are One" concert, which intended to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama with a spirit of unity, forgot one thing. Bishop Gene Robinson's invocation. I watched the broadcast on HBO and I did not see his invocation. I have to wonder if this slight was intentional. Robinson is the "first openly gay, non-celibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination." My position on his vocation is better left for another commentary. He was on hand to deliver an opening prayer to the event, but this prayer went unseen by anyone watching on HBO.

Okay, so the finger-pointing has begun. A spokesperson for HBO stated that decisions regarding the timing and presentation of Robinson's remarks were made by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and that Robinson was "not a part of our show from the start." Robinson appeared minutes before the 2:30pm start time of the concert coverage. HBO's response to the matter has been uniform.

HBO comes to this controversy without any sort of significant reputation for being a network or a workplace hostile to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In fact, the network is responsible for airing the drama Six Feet Under, which depicted gays in complex relationships unflinchingly. The Obama camp, on the other hand, has courted controversy already with the decision to include in the inauguration Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren, a supporter of Proposition 8 in California. The appearance of a snub in the case of Bishop Robinson has successfully raised the temperature among Democratic activists and in the liberal blogosphere, where outrage is being pointed mostly at the incoming administration and the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Personally, I am a little ticked off about it too. Why invite the bishop if you are going to choose not to have him on live? It's just plain wrong. You can't give the appearance that you care about gays and lesbians and then do the opposite in public. I don't share many of his positions, but I feel that he was deliberately slighted by someone--HBO or the Obama Inaugural Committee or both.

Gay Bishop Gene Robinson Excluded From HBO's Coverage of "We Are One" Presidential Inauguration Concert

Gays and lesbians across the United States have something else to be upset about. It seems that HBO, who provided and sponsored Sunday's big Lincoln Memorial show billed as the "We Are One" concert, which intended to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama with a spirit of unity, forgot one thing. Bishop Gene Robinson's invocation. I watched the broadcast on HBO and I did not see his invocation. I have to wonder if this slight was intentional. Robinson is the "first openly gay, non-celibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination." My position on his vocation is better left for another commentary. He was on hand to deliver an opening prayer to the event, but this prayer went unseen by anyone watching on HBO.

Okay, so the finger-pointing has begun. A spokesperson for HBO stated that decisions regarding the timing and presentation of Robinson's remarks were made by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and that Robinson was "not a part of our show from the start." Robinson appeared minutes before the 2:30pm start time of the concert coverage. HBO's response to the matter has been uniform.

HBO comes to this controversy without any sort of significant reputation for being a network or a workplace hostile to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In fact, the network is responsible for airing the drama Six Feet Under, which depicted gays in complex relationships unflinchingly. The Obama camp, on the other hand, has courted controversy already with the decision to include in the inauguration Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren, a supporter of Proposition 8 in California. The appearance of a snub in the case of Bishop Robinson has successfully raised the temperature among Democratic activists and in the liberal blogosphere, where outrage is being pointed mostly at the incoming administration and the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Personally, I am a little ticked off about it too. Why invite the bishop if you are going to choose not to have him on live? It's just plain wrong. You can't give the appearance that you care about gays and lesbians and then do the opposite in public. I don't share many of his positions, but I feel that he was deliberately slighted by someone--HBO or the Obama Inaugural Committee or both.

Stan Lee, Spiderman Creator, To Unveil Thom Creed, First Gay Superhero

On a lighter note, Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman, has reportedly created a character called Thom Creed, a high-school basketball player who is forced to hide his sexuality as well as his superpowers. He will be the first gay superhero. Lee reportedly developed the idea of a gay character from the award-winning novel Hero by Perry Moore.

It is not known what kind of powers Creed will display. Lee, the former head of Marvel Comics - who also created the Hulk and the X-Men - will unveil Creed in an hour-long television special made in the US.

If he proves popular with audiences, and I have every reason to believe there is a good chance it will, the program will be shown in Britain. Lee recently told GQ magazine that the world needed an Economist Man and a Foreign Relations Man to help the world weather the global financial crisis. Well, there you have it, a gay superhero. The religious conservatives will have a problem with this. Remember Tinky-Winky from the Teletubbies? Pat Robertson had a problem with the "purse" the character always carried. Anyway, here's my position. The issue I have with this is why do we need to define the sexuality of our superheroes? I don't think children are wondering why we don't have a gay superhero or a Mormon superhero, for that matter. Is Warner Brothers next to unveil a gay character? Who cares if Bugs Bunny is gay because he wears dresses in some cartoons? It is sad that we have moved into an age where being politically correct means more than just letting kids be kids.

Stan Lee, Spiderman Creator, To Unveil Thom Creed, First Gay Superhero

On a lighter note, Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman, has reportedly created a character called Thom Creed, a high-school basketball player who is forced to hide his sexuality as well as his superpowers. He will be the first gay superhero. Lee reportedly developed the idea of a gay character from the award-winning novel Hero by Perry Moore.

It is not known what kind of powers Creed will display. Lee, the former head of Marvel Comics - who also created the Hulk and the X-Men - will unveil Creed in an hour-long television special made in the US.

If he proves popular with audiences, and I have every reason to believe there is a good chance it will, the program will be shown in Britain. Lee recently told GQ magazine that the world needed an Economist Man and a Foreign Relations Man to help the world weather the global financial crisis. Well, there you have it, a gay superhero. The religious conservatives will have a problem with this. Remember Tinky-Winky from the Teletubbies? Pat Robertson had a problem with the "purse" the character always carried. Anyway, here's my position. The issue I have with this is why do we need to define the sexuality of our superheroes? I don't think children are wondering why we don't have a gay superhero or a Mormon superhero, for that matter. Is Warner Brothers next to unveil a gay character? Who cares if Bugs Bunny is gay because he wears dresses in some cartoons? It is sad that we have moved into an age where being politically correct means more than just letting kids be kids.

Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to Deliver the Sermon at National Prayer Service

President-elect Barack Obama has selected the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to deliver the sermon at the national prayer service that will be held on Jan. 21 at the Washington National Cathedral. I guess she is seen as a safe choice, considering that her views on same sex marriage aren't known and she will not cause the commotion Pastor Rick Warren did in the eyes of gays and lesbians across the United States. Though Obama's inaugural committee has said that the choice of Ms. Watkins was not an attempt to mollify his critics because she was selected long before Warren entered the picture, nonetheless, she won't ruffle many feathers. Her appeal is that she delivers a message of unity and inclusivity and tolerance and hope

Ms. Watkins, the first woman ever selected to lead the service, is the president and general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a small, liberal-leaning Protestant denomination with 3,754 congregations and about 690,000 members in the United States and Canada. Ms. Watkins was elected to the post in 2005, the first woman ever chosen to lead a mainline Protestant denomination.

But Ms. Watkins is not well known nationally. She came to the attention of Mr. Obama at a meeting he held during the campaign last summer to introduce himself to a politically and theologically diverse group of ministers. At that closed-door meeting, some of the conservative ministers bluntly questioned Mr. Obama on certain issues. Ms. Watkins was asked to give the closing prayer.

Ms. Watkins has spoken out against torture and the war in Iraq, but as church president she has not taken a position on same-sex marriage. Like many mainline Protestant churches, the Disciples is not unified on the issue. As a congregational church, each church in the denomination is free to set its own policies. Source: NY Times

Ms. Watkins said that the sermon will be 10 to 15 minutes and will not be vetted by the Obama team. The service is traditionally attended by the president and vice president; members of the Supreme Court, Congress and the diplomatic corps; and a host of clergy members and dignitaries.

Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to Deliver the Sermon at National Prayer Service

President-elect Barack Obama has selected the Rev. Sharon E. Watkins to deliver the sermon at the national prayer service that will be held on Jan. 21 at the Washington National Cathedral. I guess she is seen as a safe choice, considering that her views on same sex marriage aren't known and she will not cause the commotion Pastor Rick Warren did in the eyes of gays and lesbians across the United States. Though Obama's inaugural committee has said that the choice of Ms. Watkins was not an attempt to mollify his critics because she was selected long before Warren entered the picture, nonetheless, she won't ruffle many feathers. Her appeal is that she delivers a message of unity and inclusivity and tolerance and hope

Ms. Watkins, the first woman ever selected to lead the service, is the president and general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a small, liberal-leaning Protestant denomination with 3,754 congregations and about 690,000 members in the United States and Canada. Ms. Watkins was elected to the post in 2005, the first woman ever chosen to lead a mainline Protestant denomination.

But Ms. Watkins is not well known nationally. She came to the attention of Mr. Obama at a meeting he held during the campaign last summer to introduce himself to a politically and theologically diverse group of ministers. At that closed-door meeting, some of the conservative ministers bluntly questioned Mr. Obama on certain issues. Ms. Watkins was asked to give the closing prayer.

Ms. Watkins has spoken out against torture and the war in Iraq, but as church president she has not taken a position on same-sex marriage. Like many mainline Protestant churches, the Disciples is not unified on the issue. As a congregational church, each church in the denomination is free to set its own policies. Source: NY Times

Ms. Watkins said that the sermon will be 10 to 15 minutes and will not be vetted by the Obama team. The service is traditionally attended by the president and vice president; members of the Supreme Court, Congress and the diplomatic corps; and a host of clergy members and dignitaries.

Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church to Give Invocation at Barack Obama's Inauguration, Riles Gays, Liberals

The liberals and gays have another reason to fume at Barack Obama's actions and their dissatisfaction with his transition office. Personally, I think he is doing a great job and surrounding himself with the best from the Clinton era, the Bush era and his own picks. Now the conflict has centered around his choice to deliver the invocation at his upcoming inauguration. Rick Warren, the pastor of the powerful Saddleback Church. Was I terribly surprised that Warren was chosen? No and I like Rick Warren a great deal. According to media reports, both men are very close. Obama praised the church in his second book "The Audacity of Hope." As you recall, Warren hosted a values forum between Obama and his rival John McCain during the general election. Of course, the progressives have expressed skepticism at this choice.

"My blood pressure is really high right now," said Rev. Chuck Currie, minister at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. "Rick Warren does some really good stuff and there are some areas that I have admired his ability to build bridges between evangelicals and mainline religious and political figures... but he is also very established in the religious right and his position on social issues like gay rights, stem cell research and women's rights are all out of the mainstream and are very much opposed to the progressive agenda that Obama ran on. I think that he is very much the wrong person to put on the stage with the president that day." Source: Huffington Post

Warren's views are generally opposite to Obama's but that should not be an impediment to working together or even to their friendship. They do agree on topics like AIDS and poverty relief. As you know, opposites attract and you can't surround yourself with people who share all of your views and positions. That's a recipe for disaster. Barack Obama has shown that he has a penchant for diversity, as evidenced from his selections in his cabinet. Hillary Clinton, his arch rival, was his nominee for Secretary of State.

So, Barack Obama is supposed to tiptoe around gays and lesbians and do everything they consider right. Obama's move, in my opinion, is a conciliatory gesture towards social conservatives who strongly opposed him in the general elections. Warren was vehemently in favor of Prop 8, which has riled the gays in this country.

“Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans,” the president of Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solomonese, wrote Obama Wednesday. “[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination.” Source: Politico

Really? Where did Rev. Billy Graham stand on this subject? Why the big dust-up now? Have these people forgotten that Barack Obama opposes same-sex marriage? So, who is the right person to lead Barack Obama into office? NEWS FLASH -- everything in this country does not revolve around gays and lesbians, as well as progressives.

Wait, here's the obvious fact that the liberals and gay activists have deliberately ignored. Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights icon and the co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is a supporter of same-sex marriage and will deliver the benediction at the inauguration. So, why the big dust-up over Rick Warren? The gays and lesbians, as well as the liberals, are being selfish and getting touchy-feely over the fact that Barack Obama made a decision to be inclusive and not exclusive. You have to surround yourself with people you don't necessarily agree with, but will work with towards a common goal. In my book, that is a good quality in a president. So quit whining! If you ask me, Patti Labelle should be singing at the inauguration, not Aretha Franklin, but hey, am I losing sleep over this? No!

Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church to Give Invocation at Barack Obama's Inauguration, Riles Gays, Liberals

The liberals and gays have another reason to fume at Barack Obama's actions and their dissatisfaction with his transition office. Personally, I think he is doing a great job and surrounding himself with the best from the Clinton era, the Bush era and his own picks. Now the conflict has centered around his choice to deliver the invocation at his upcoming inauguration. Rick Warren, the pastor of the powerful Saddleback Church. Was I terribly surprised that Warren was chosen? No and I like Rick Warren a great deal. According to media reports, both men are very close. Obama praised the church in his second book "The Audacity of Hope." As you recall, Warren hosted a values forum between Obama and his rival John McCain during the general election. Of course, the progressives have expressed skepticism at this choice.

"My blood pressure is really high right now," said Rev. Chuck Currie, minister at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. "Rick Warren does some really good stuff and there are some areas that I have admired his ability to build bridges between evangelicals and mainline religious and political figures... but he is also very established in the religious right and his position on social issues like gay rights, stem cell research and women's rights are all out of the mainstream and are very much opposed to the progressive agenda that Obama ran on. I think that he is very much the wrong person to put on the stage with the president that day." Source: Huffington Post

Warren's views are generally opposite to Obama's but that should not be an impediment to working together or even to their friendship. They do agree on topics like AIDS and poverty relief. As you know, opposites attract and you can't surround yourself with people who share all of your views and positions. That's a recipe for disaster. Barack Obama has shown that he has a penchant for diversity, as evidenced from his selections in his cabinet. Hillary Clinton, his arch rival, was his nominee for Secretary of State.

So, Barack Obama is supposed to tiptoe around gays and lesbians and do everything they consider right. Obama's move, in my opinion, is a conciliatory gesture towards social conservatives who strongly opposed him in the general elections. Warren was vehemently in favor of Prop 8, which has riled the gays in this country.

“Your invitation to Reverend Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at your inauguration is a genuine blow to LGBT Americans,” the president of Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solomonese, wrote Obama Wednesday. “[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination.” Source: Politico

Really? Where did Rev. Billy Graham stand on this subject? Why the big dust-up now? Have these people forgotten that Barack Obama opposes same-sex marriage? So, who is the right person to lead Barack Obama into office? NEWS FLASH -- everything in this country does not revolve around gays and lesbians, as well as progressives.

Wait, here's the obvious fact that the liberals and gay activists have deliberately ignored. Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights icon and the co-founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is a supporter of same-sex marriage and will deliver the benediction at the inauguration. So, why the big dust-up over Rick Warren? The gays and lesbians, as well as the liberals, are being selfish and getting touchy-feely over the fact that Barack Obama made a decision to be inclusive and not exclusive. You have to surround yourself with people you don't necessarily agree with, but will work with towards a common goal. In my book, that is a good quality in a president. So quit whining! If you ask me, Patti Labelle should be singing at the inauguration, not Aretha Franklin, but hey, am I losing sleep over this? No!