Tarhearted.

ALL THE IMPORTANT STUFF.

I went into a youtube shame spiral over the weekend, a natural byproduct of being left alone with a bottle of white wine. I found two very important pieces of media I'd like to share with you now.

1. I'm probably behind the times on this one, but another Cerrone video! As it turns out, the album cover I posted is from a recent album! The single, Hysteria, is awesome. The gay in my can't resist a disco beat, I swear it! Why isn't this on iTunes? More importantly, why does Europe get everything good, like universal health care and gay marriage and Cerrone?

2. Oh my god, Greer Childers is the most beautiful and fit woman I've ever seen!

I hope women in the eighties paid a huge price for this VHS. It's beauty and usefulness is priceless!

LOVE LETTERS TO RON PRENTICE.

The letter writing continues!

I always manage to misspell "separate". This is the danger of writing like people wrote in olden days (ie with paper and a pen).

 

If you want to write to Ron Prentice you may do so here, but feel free to do some research and write to your own favorite anti-gay spokesperson:

California Family Council
P.O. Box 20012
Riverside, CA 92516
Attn: Ron Prentice

Also, there are PROTESTS IN NEW YORK THIS WEEK. Please say you'll come with me.

Protest the Mormons Funding of Bigotry:

Wednesday, November 12th @ 6:30 PM

Manhattan Mormon temple

125 Columbus Ave @ 65th Street

Nationwide Protest of Prop 8

Saturday, November 15th @ 1:30 PM

City Hall (260 Broadway)

Find your local protest here.

RESOURCES FOR WRITERS.

All of this letter writing has me totally horny for stationary, stickers, and pens! When you've got that itch to scratch, everybody knows there's only one place to go.

Lisa Frank... stuff girls love.

Except some boys love Lisa too. I know I did, even though some of the old hatchet faces who taught me might have turned up their ugly noses at a boy who likes purple, pandas, and ponies. Let's not kid ourselves... hetero normative prejudices start a birth!

Side note: remember having to sit near that girl who'd just had a perm and how awful it smelled? It was always the same girl who ate her boogers and picked her stretch pants out of her cooter when she thought nobody was looking. Her name was always, like, Mindy or something. At least that's the name The Boyfriend and I use when we see a grown up version of this girl. "Look at that Mindy!"

My next letter to Ron Prentice will be posted and sent out on Monday. I also have a mixed CD for Ron in the works. I hope he likes Morrissey!

Also, here is a list of protests happening nation wide on November 15th. Join the cause or I'll tell everybody your hair stinks.

L'HOMME CERRONE.

My friend mike just introduced me to French disco singer, Cerrone, and I'm so glad he did. He is the perfect addition to me Dee D. Jackson and Amanda Lear pantheon of disco stars.

Cerrone was known for his sexy aesthetic and sophisticated sound. Check out this album cover:

Gorgeous!

The video for his hit single, Supernature (which was co-produced by Lene Lovitch), is among the most aesthetically pleasing videos I've ever seen.

Enjoy!

LOVE LETTERS TO RON PRENTICE.

What a strange week. When I started this blog I called it "Tarhearted" because at the time I was a heavy smoker known amongst my friends for being funny in an off-color, snarky way. Sure, I've devoted most entries herein to the horrors of super long hair or leggings worn as pants or people who walk too slow causing me to miss my subway...

But I can't shake the feelig that the name doesn't fit anymore. Firstly, I haven't had a cigarette in over a year. Secondly, despite the horrendous atrocities committed against the gay and lesbian community this week (and they are horrendous) I suddenly feel like a cock-eyed optimist.

We're going to win this thing. Maybe not today, but we're going to win.

Do some research and write to your favorite anti-gay advocate. Get to know them! My favorite is dreamy  Ron Prentice.

As my pen pal,  Ronnie can look forward to oodles of letters of fancy stationary as well as the occasional mixed CD (I'm super into Tokyo Police Club right now), poem, or holiday card.

Feel free to write to Ron as well, or find your own anti-gay advocate to buddy up to! It's fun!

Erin from Seattle writes to Ron Prentice:

Dear Ron,

 

Wow. Who knew I’d ever be writing to you? I’ve met and known a countless number of people in my life and am always looking to make new friends and acquaintances. The more the merrier.  

So hello! My name is Erin. How are you? I am fine. I am writing to you from Seattle, where it is, of course, raining. Brrr! I hope the sun comes out soon. Not that I don’t love the rain, it is why I live in this city. I like change! I like diversity! What can I say? The people, the food, conversations you can have just walking down the street. It is smorgasbord of difference! I love it. So do my friends, which is why they are my friends. And we just have the best time together! You should really make it over here, I think you’d be surprised at how well everything is going for us Seattleites.

 So, a little about myself. I consider myself an artist. I’ve been participating in the theater and film scene locally for about 5 years. I’ve had many jobs that go along with that, since it’s just the dickens to make a living off of what I am passionate about. One of those various jobs was Pre-school Teacher. And boy, did I love those kids! So open-minded, so generous with a huge willingness to learn. And it was my job to teach them! One of the toughest yet fulfilling things that I taught them was the art of compassion and understanding. It took them a while to get past their own needs at first, since that’s all they knew, but once they got it – wow!  They were listening to each other. Really hearing each other. It was beautiful. As I watched those kids realize what relationships were all about, and what loving was, I felt proud to be able to witness it.

 But certain current events have made my mind wander. What if I chose to do things a bit differently with those developing minds? What if I taught them about compassion and understanding, but added one thing? If I pointed to one of their friends and said, “But not them. They don’t count. Don’t treat that one the same way.” What would happen? Would they get the lesson at all? Would they learn anything at all?

 And what if I shared with them that some of their parents, however loving and caring, could never be totally happy? They would always have a sadness about them that someone else they had never even met had imposed upon them? That one day they might have that same sadness to look forward to?  If they knew that the new wonderful feelings they had just learned and their new way of listening might not even be worth it?

 Isn’t that awful? I know you’re concerned about this, too. But rest assured, Ron, because I’m not going to stop! I’m not going to tell them anything about what might scare them away from loving each other. Because I know that one day, hopefully soon, they won’t even know about those possibilities. And I’m going to start by encouraging them to love and share hugs and treat everyone the same. The same. Because they have no reason not to.

 Oh, look at me rambling away. And it’s still raining! Wow, I’m glad we talked. Something about you makes me want to open up! I heard you were a good pen pal, but this is great.

 Maybe I’ll write to you again.

 Sincerely,

 Erin

Seattle, Washington

Homo Lover

Thanks, Erin! Anyway, Ron can be reached here:

California Family Council
P.O. Box 20012
Riverside, CA 92516
Attn: Ron Prentice

LOVE LETTERS TO RON PRENTICE.

Ronnie is getting a lot of mail! Let's hope he can keep up with all of his pen pals. Katherine writes:

 Dear Ronald,

            What a lovely name you have.  My name is Katherine.  Please don't call me Katie, or Kathy, or Kat.  Some of my friends call me Kath, but for now you may call me Katherine.  I hope I haven't offended you.  It's simply because we don't know each other yet.  This brings me to the reason why I am writing to you today. 

            My friend Josh decided that you took action against the rights of gay people simply because you didn't understand, or truly know any gay people.  For this reason, he has taken it upon himself to become your pen pal.  You, sir, are very lucky, as Josh is one of the most wonderful people I know.  In this same spirit I too will write and drop you a quick line now and then.  I'll start things off by sharing some thoughts I've been having lately.

            I believe we are all more alike than different.  I know you have perhaps heard this before, and may shrug it off as a cliché, but I honestly believe in it.  I'll have you know I too care very deeply about families, children, and the world we live in.  There are many different kinds of families, and I support any and all that are full of love and compassion.  My partner and I may one day decide to have children.  We would instill in them a great foundation of empathy.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines empathy as follows:  "Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives."

            You see sir, if things were the other way around, and your rights were being stripped away because of who you are, you might find some of us standing on your side.  For we know what it's like to be singled out based on fear and ignorance.  I would instill in my children the ability to walk in someone else's shoes, to ask questions and listen instead of acting in hatred, and most of all to embrace difference, for it is truly a beautiful thing.

            I am not mad at you, and I do not hate you.  I simply feel sorry for you because as long as you continue down this path and encourage others to do so, you will never know what it is to truly be a full participant in the world around you.  And in your unwillingness to know others you will never truly know yourself.

 

Sincerely,

Katherine

If you want to write to Ron Prentice you may do so here:

California Family Council
P.O. Box 20012
Riverside, CA 92516
Attn: Ron Prentice

 

LOVE LETTERS TO RON PRENTICE.

A dear friend of mine in Los Angeles drafted this letter to Ron Prentice, who, if you missed this entry, is the CEO of the California "Family" Council and Chair of ProtectMarriage.com. It's this guy:

I've removed any names from the letter (except my own) to protect her identity.

Dear, Dear Ronald . . . I am just gonna call you Ronnie, if that’s cool! Hi!

Greetings from sunny LA, where the beauty of this day betrays the dark and broken hearts of its citizens.  We just all heard about the results from Prop. 8.  What a Joy- stealer, I tell you!

I got your address from my buddy, Josh Conkel. He said he was going to write you and I thought- how lovely! I haven’t had a pen pal since my French class in high school! So, I am hopping on the bandwagon- hope you have time to open your fan-mail yourself!

So, I am married to a beautiful man named ___________ - had a big ol’ church wedding- the community blessing all that good stuff. I cried, laughed, pledged my undying love to my soul mate and got my fate sealed under the watchful eyes of my friends, family, and the god I pray to, who, incidentally, I don’t think is the same god you keep wrathfully threatening the world with- Your guy is more than Old Testament, seriously. This is why I am writing!

I thought maybe you should meet my god because he is so much nicer and cooler and more peaceful than yours. Much better for the heart! You see, my god is this cozy, loving energy, who in my mind kind of looks like Sean Connery, who inspires me every day to love my neighbor and to do unto others as I will have them do unto me- you know- the golden rule?

I have lots of gay friends. People I consider my family. People I would drive through a blizzard to help. People who have beautiful, magical, generous hearts. The kindest, most loving of my friends, who want nothing more than to live in peace, get dinner on the table, fall in love, pay the electric bill, walk their dog, and tumble into bed with the person they love most in the world after a long day. They want to snuggle and be snuggled. Do these desires, these needs seem familiar? They should!!! They are basic, elemental needs we all have and here in the USA are implied rights of her fair citizens under the Constitution.

What is marriage, then? A commitment first and foremost under God’s eyes and a union cemented and protected by the law. How can you possibly think that you can interfere when two people, who love each other and want to make a commitment in front of god (to love, honor, and cherish each other) do precisely that?

How can you possibly think you have a right to interfere with how anyone talks to god, asks for a blessing, or prays for courage, peace, and contentment?  It’s an act of pure hubris to get involved with how people commune with God. 

I feel nervous for the state of your soul! We have to get you back on track, here!

Your commitment to denying folks their basic human rights- both as citizens of this country and as souls on this planet- is not divinely inspired. I want you to know it is love that is our last chance. 

To love is a verb- it is an action. Please know that opening your heart to all people will free you from the prison you are in. Anger, fear, hatred are the acts of a person who is in league with the forces in opposition to God. 

I wouldn’t want to mess around with that especially with your God- kind feels like he’d get you with a pitchfork if he knew what you were up to! Yikes!

I am praying for you and I will be in-touch soon! I just want you to know that you have a chance of inspiring your community to be, as Thich Nhat Hahn, the Buddhist monk  proclaims, BE PEACE.

By the way, I saw that amazing stationary that Josh is writing on- I found it very exciting. I hope you’ll write me back on some snazzy paper! I love, love, love getting letters!

 

Always and Sincerely,

Amy

If you'd also like to be pen pals with Ron Prentice, he can be reached at this address:

California Family Council
P.O. Box 20012
Riverside, CA 92516
Attn: Ron Prentice

OR feel free to find your own pen pals! Lord knows (get it?) that there are plenty of big wigs in The Church of Latter-Day Saints who could use some gay friends.

MORE PROPOSITION H8 STUFF.

I'd like to be posting about the atrocity of leggings as pants or writing an in-depth essay on LaDonna from Square Pegs, but I just don't have the heart. I'm sending off my first letter to Ron Prentice today, and plan to write him another letter each week day.

I do want to point out the petition to strip the Mormon Church of its tax exempt status. And another initiative to invalidate 8.

Additionally, those in California can attend any number of protests. Towleroad has a good round-up.

Do your part. Straight folks, I'm looking at you. You've been enjoying the fruits of our labor (fashion? Broadway?) for a long time now with little in return. Pay up with you support.

LOVE LETTERS TO RON PRENTICE.

I was so depressed about Proposition 8 passing that I couldn't even go to work today. I wondered, who are the people responsible for Proposition 8? I mean, besides crazy old Mormons. After some google research I discovered that one of the big wigs is Ron Prentice, CEO of California Family Council and Chair of ProtectMarriage.com.

I wondered how a person could be so cruel. Here I was, taking a day off from work to grieve because of something a stranger did on a different coast. Then I thought, maybe Mr. Prentice doesn't like the gays because they aren't in his life. Their very real pain doesn't effect him.

That's when I decided to be his pen pal. I'll be sending this letter tomorrow.

I plan to write Ronnie consistently until he becomes comfortable with me as a citizen deserving of equal rights and protections of the country I was born into and continue to help shape. I would encourage you to do the same. He can be reached (I think, though there's also a Northern California office) here:

California Family Council
P.O. Box 20012
Riverside, CA 92516
Attn: Ron Prentice

Also, please write to the "yes on 8" people and tell them how you feel.

Clicky clicky.

And also to the Mormons.

Clicky clicky.

P.S. This stationary comes with matching envelopes. It is gorgeous.

INFO.

People and places to boycott:

You have to start somewhere.