Reps. John Shimkus (R-IL) and Jean Schmidt (R-OH) are long-time foes of gay rights, scoring 0 from the Human Rights Campaign in the 110th Congress. However, both will be holding fundraisers at the upcoming July 11 Billy Joel/Elton John concert in Washington, DC. Elton John, as the Sunlight Foundation notes, “has been a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and for global gay rights (see his foundation here, and attempts to raise public awareness here).” Shimkus and Schmidt, in contrast, support a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality. In 2005, Shimkus also hosted another Elton John fundraiser.
OK, they’ll raise funds there. NOT!
July 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pmI hate Jean Schmidt.
That is all.
PEACE
July 6th, 2009 at 8:06 pmi would hope that elton john would tell them to stay the hell away from the venue the night he’s playing there.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:07 pmHey Rebugs, “Don’t let the sun go down on ya.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:08 pmPoliticians are perplexing.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:08 pmI hope concertgoers at the show storm the tables where the wingnuts are holding the fundraiser.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:10 pmOT, but Shannyn Moore (of Alaska’s MudFlats fame) is about to be Keith’s guest.
PEACE
July 6th, 2009 at 8:16 pmUsing the concert to spur funds is basically no different than dKos or other ‘liberal’ sites using the cash they gain from blogads advertising Coulter’s books and conservative causes and such.
It’s kinda the same logic they applied at the Cotton Club, which took advantage of top black performing acts, but didn’t allow blacks in the audience.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:18 pmElton John is one of the greatest composers and musicians of all time.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:23 pmHomophobes are losing ground and will be irrelevant in due time.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:25 pmRepublicans use gay bashing as a circus draw. When they stretch their wings though, they hobnob and bob nob at a terrific pace if they are so inclined.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:27 pmShimkus and Mean Jean using an Elton John concert as a fundraiser?
That’s just weird.
Let’s hope Elton takes special note of those particular guests and does a little bit of gay rights preachin’.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:30 pmWAYNEBRO, the collaboration between John and Taupin produced some of the most unique songs of our time. The fact that their collaboration occurred seperately rather than together makes it all the more amazing.
Nothing says anti-gay fundraising opportunity like an Elton John concert. Typical of the brilliant strategists we come to expect from the GNOP.
PEACE
July 6th, 2009 at 8:32 pmFreaking Schmidt and Shimkus behaving like typical Republican hypocrites! They support a cause whenever it’s for their benefit.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:34 pmI really have to wonder how much money they managed to raise last time.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:40 pmI mean, is there anybody left in the world who doesn’t know Elton John is gay?
July 6th, 2009 at 8:40 pmI hope that Elton John’s people are being made aware of this. He should publicly dress down the two of them at that concert.
What a couple of a-holes those two repiggies are!
July 6th, 2009 at 8:43 pmIf those two punks EVER do a fundraiser at an Elton John concert in my city, I will personally take a baseball bat to their table and use it!
July 6th, 2009 at 8:47 pmIntrepid Says:
If those two punks EVER do a fundraiser at an Elton John concert in my city, I will personally take a baseball bat to their table and use it!
That’s the kind of “dressing down” I’ll use on those homophobic hemorrhoids.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:50 pmIntrepid,
July 6th, 2009 at 9:21 pmYou have been reported for threatening 2 Congressmen.
Spencer’s Mom: One of the most haunting Bernie Taupin/Elton John tunes is Ticking (if memory serves me correctly, it’s from the Caribou album – must check). I just adored their music until the release of Blue Moves. From that point on, I lost interest as his music changed and it didn’t touch me, but I had already moved on to the Grateful Dead…
Anyhow, Ticking lyrics:
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
“An extremely quiet child” they called you in your school report
“He’s always taken interest in the subjects that he’s taught”
So what was it that brought the squad car screaming up your drive
To notify your parents of the manner in which you died
At St. Patricks every Sunday, Father Fletcher heard your sins
“Oh, he’s unconcerned with competition he never cares to win”
But blood stained a young hand that never held a gun
And his parents never thought of him as their troubled son
“Now you’ll never get to Heaven” Mama said
Remember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
“Grow up straight and true blue
Run along to bed”
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
They had you holed up in a downtown bar screaming for a priest
Some gook said “His brain’s just snapped” then someone called the police
You’d knifed a Negro waiter who had tried to calm you down
Oh you’d pulled a gun and told them all to lay still on the ground
Promising to hurt no one, providing they were still
A young man tried to make a break, with tear-filled eyes you killed
That gun butt felt so smooth and warm cradled in your palm
Oh your childhood cried out in your head “they mean to do you harm”
“Don’t ever ride on the devil’s knee” Mama said
Remember mama said
Ticking, ticking
“Pay your penance well, my child
Fear where angels tread”
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
Within an hour the news had reached the media machine
A male caucasian with a gun had gone berserk in Queens
The area had been sealed off, the kids sent home from school
Fourteen people lying dead in a bar they called the Kicking Mule
Oh they pleaded to your sanity for the sake of those inside
“Throw out your gun, walk out slow just keep your hands held high”
But they pumped you full of rifle shells as you stepped out the door
Oh you danced in death like a marionette on the vengeance of the law
“You’ve slept too long in silence” Mama said
July 6th, 2009 at 9:23 pmRemember Mama said
Ticking, ticking
“Crazy boy, you’ll only wind up with strange notions in your head”
Hear it, hear it, ticking, ticking
Oh, just let Elton John know who’s in the audience and watch the fury. Hopefully with a tight closeup of this party as he excoriates them. That would be priceless.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:28 pmWith any luck, they’ll use the bathrooms and catch the gay…
July 6th, 2009 at 9:35 pmGet back, honky cats!
July 6th, 2009 at 9:48 pmI would agree that someone, Elton John or an attendee, at the concert should say something during the concert. It would be heartening to see these two congress people squirming under a spotlight. The people who come to their fundraisers will feel very uncomfortable if the issue is broached which it should. Their discomfort is a lot less noxious than deprivation of equal rights.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:54 pmOn the bright side, Think Progress used a flattering pic of Jean Schmidt for the story…
July 6th, 2009 at 9:54 pmThey’ll do anything for campaign cash. Can’t let those luxury sky suites go to waste at Nationals Park.
July 6th, 2009 at 9:56 pmum… i hate to admit this, but i’m confused…
fundraising for WHO? themselves? how?
or john’s foundation? why?
‘at’s my guy, ol’ shitkus…
July 6th, 2009 at 10:02 pmWow. That’s some serious cognitive dissonance in action, baby!
July 6th, 2009 at 10:08 pmMore closeted Gopers
July 6th, 2009 at 10:10 pmSo true. I remember growing up Elton ruled. There were rumors back then about him being gay, but all anyone ever said about it back then was we didn’t care if he was gay. His music still ruled.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:17 pmIs TP implying Elton John is gay?
July 6th, 2009 at 10:19 pmI guess that’s why they’ll call your state blue,
July 6th, 2009 at 10:28 pmWay too concerned with the way people screw;
Think of the children;
Men can’t have lovers,
But hey, money’s money,
So go undercover…
And I guess that’s why they’ll call your state blue.
dbadass,
I think Elton John’s marriage to David Furnish put an end to those “rumors.” ;)
I was amazed to learn that “Elton John” is not his full stage name. Apparently he is also “offically” known as “Elton Hercules John”.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:29 pmhello… would someone please answer my question at 28…
July 6th, 2009 at 10:32 pmseriously… what’s going on?
Good evening Katy, I’m assuming that they’ll be having booths with the vendors inside the venue. If it was a Dead show, they’d probably be selling bootleg teeshirts, or vegeburritos, or maybe balloons filled with nitrous in the parking lot…
July 6th, 2009 at 10:40 pmWill Jean Schmidt be raising funds in her Olympic gymnast outfit?
Why is she still in office? Is there no one else in her district constitutionally qualified to run for US Representative? Or not interested enough? The bar doesn’t seem to have been set too high in her district. Or has Diebold been helping her, the way they promised to deliver Ohio to Bush in 2004?
July 6th, 2009 at 10:41 pmShe’s from the crazy part of Ohio, which is saying something…
July 6th, 2009 at 10:43 pmkaty,
I do not know what the format of this fund-raising event is, but apparently anyone can sign up for a booth, or a room, or something, and collect money for their favorite cause.
In my mind, this is not quite the same as dKos collecting ad revenues from people they oppose ideologically. In that case, it’s dKos’s site and they are collecting money from their opponents who are trying to use dKos. In Elton’s case, it’s his concert and his political opponents are collecting money off of it; Elton isn’t collecting from his opponent’s efforts. Shimkus and Schmidt are the ones getting the money, not Elton.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:45 pmkaty Says: #28
They’re just probably going to exploit the fact that there may be some LGBT people at this event so they will be there to present their alternative… absolute, worthless, fantasyland garbage. And all the fantasyland believers will be there in force contributing to the Shimkus/Schmidt shitwagon express. These people are just plain lunatics!
July 6th, 2009 at 10:47 pm#36, Bobwurst wrote:
Good evening Katy, I’m assuming that they’ll be having booths with the vendors inside the venue. If it was a Dead show, they’d probably be selling bootleg teeshirts, or vegeburritos, or maybe balloons filled with nitrous in the parking lot…
You forgot about the grilled cheese…
Theres’Ant (a.k.a. scarletbgonias)
July 6th, 2009 at 10:52 pmsoze16 Says:
Now that’s funny! It’s even funnier if you actually sing it, good thing my family is asleep.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:56 pmUm Sharky,
The TABLE was threatened. LOL
——–
I spent an entire summer back-packing and river guiding in Flaming Gorge Utah in my youth. I brought with me a Walkman Cassette player and two tapes. The Best of Elton John and an America tape, good thing I brought a solar powered DC converter too, cause the batteries didnt last long, and the nearest store was 200 miles away;-)
In my opinion, Elton John has more talent in his pinky then Michael Jackson.
July 6th, 2009 at 10:58 pmthanks bobwurst, wayne, mr.evil…
i understand the booth at the venue… what i question is, again:
fundraising for WHO? themselves? how?
or john’s foundation? why?
guess we’ll find out…
yes, elton john should know about the facts if these two will be doing political fundraising for their campaigns… and he should call the hypocrites out, loudly…
i’m a huge elton john fan, but mostly for the taupin days…
July 6th, 2009 at 11:15 pmTumbleweed Connection especially… … really dating myself…
5 HomerSexual,
Not perplexing at all. They’ll do anything for money.
I’d love to see Elton John do something that makes them very uncomfortable. By making the right announcement, the “good” congresscritters could be made to feel very uncomfortable.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:16 pmspencers mom mentioned keith’s show earlier…
just finished watching the rebroadcast…
did anyone notice the segment about some teaparties?
one at Harriman,TN was highlighted – all of 20 people there…
he didn’t mention this, but harriman is where that sludge damn burst and drowned part of the town in coal sludge…
wonder if any of those teabaggers were pissed off about that…
July 6th, 2009 at 11:19 pmHow exactly are they supposed to “raise funds” at a concert? Stand out front with a cardboard sign and a tin can? I don’t get it.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:27 pmsell burritos, grilled cheese (mmmm grilled cheese…) ditch weed joints, home made tie die teeshirts to raise enough cash to get to the next show. People with signs are just looking for a miracle. (sorry folks, I recently came across sugarmegs.org and they have a bazillion dead shows that you can stream)
July 6th, 2009 at 11:37 pmyay! ElBruce doesn’t get it either! i’m in good company…
i feel so much better!
July 6th, 2009 at 11:39 pmwhat i wonder is, are the repugs raising money for themselves by making people think they are contributing to john’s foundation…?
July 6th, 2009 at 11:42 pm#48, Bobwurst wrote:
sell burritos, grilled cheese (mmmm grilled cheese…) ditch weed joints, home made tie die teeshirts to raise enough cash to get to the next show. People with signs are just looking for a miracle. (sorry folks, I recently came across sugarmegs.org and they have a bazillion dead shows that you can stream)
Well, if you’re looking for Dead shows to stream, here’s archive.org; they have 6,825 shows to listen to: http://www.archive.org/details/GratefulDead
Then, if you’re into torrents (for downloading .shn and/or flac), there’s always bt.etree.org, but you need a bit torrent program… Hint: grab anything mastered by Charlie Miller (I use Bit Tornado)
Thank me later…
July 6th, 2009 at 11:49 pmkaty Says:
what i wonder is, are the repugs raising money for themselves by making people think they are contributing to john’s foundation…?
I’m guessing that they will do anything for money. The idea Elton John is gay and the people who go to see him might not like them probably never crossed their minds. Billy Joel and Elton John both are top 40 musicians (I’m not attacking anyone’s tastes here, just saying that these two are not dirty hippie types). They also like African American athletes, as long as they are just playing their games, not rabble rousing or trying to marry their daughters…
July 6th, 2009 at 11:54 pmkaty Says: #47
Sorry to say Katy, they probably weren’t. They go through life with blinders on just like race horses. It’s sad, but that’s what we get from our politicians because those are the people paying them. Whores provide favors for money and that’s what our politicians are… whores.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:01 amThanks There’sAnt!
I copied your post to a word doc and I’ll explore it later.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:05 amHoisted on his own Shimkus. Raising money for more empty rhetoric with no real morals and no facts, just shameless bashing of the Gay and denying any science that doesn’t fit their strange little Republickin fantasies.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:33 amI don’t freaking get it. How would Elton John let losers like this rake in cash from his performance. What am I missing…?
July 7th, 2009 at 12:42 am#54, Bobwurst wrote:
Thanks There’sAnt!
I copied your post to a word doc and I’ll explore it later.
You’ll also need programs to convert the .shn or .flac files to .wav files. For .shn, I use mkw, for flacs I use a FLAC Frontend decoder. For a moron like me to figure it out, you should have no problem.
There’s a world of soundboards waiting for you.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:12 am.
Note to D.C. concert goers:
The men’s room doubles as a GOP club house…
… You know, a
Gay
Opponent
Pretender.
Because Republicans are not gay. They have never been gay.
.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:07 amElton did one song about Michael: “Don’t let your son go down on him” sorry. sorry.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:18 amI like Elton, really. Saw him in concert in 1973 and 1980. Great shows. Especially in 1973 when it was all standing room in a big hall.
I remember when he was married, but he and his wife lived on different continents. He in Europe and the US and she in Australia.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:56 amRUCeriousMaggot! Says:
I don’t freaking get it. How would Elton John let losers like this rake in cash from his performance. What am I missing…?
July 7th, 2009 at 12:42 am
July 7th, 2009 at 8:02 am——–
Isn’t Elton John opposed to gay marriage; or is that just a rumor?
WHAT IS THIS CRAP?
White House Open to Deal on Public Health Plan
It is more important that health-care legislation inject stiff competition among insurance plans than it is for Congress to create a pure government-run option, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Monday.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:21 amEvery year Harley Davidson has a huge rally somewhere in the US. A few years ago the headliner was kept secret and turned out to be Elton John! Seems like an odd choice. Some in the crowd were verrrry disappointed but overall Elton Rocked. (speaking from second hand info). Last year the organizers snagged Springsteen and all was well. LOL
July 7th, 2009 at 9:58 am______
MapleStreet Says:
I’d love to see Elton John do something that makes them very uncomfortable. By making the right announcement, the “good” congresscritters could be made to feel very uncomfortable.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
______
If this quote is valid, Elton John agrees with them on gay marriage:
“I don’t want to be married. I’m very happy with a civil partnership. If gay people want to get married, or get together, they should have a civil partnership. The word “marriage,” I think, puts a lot of people off. You get the same equal rights that we do when we have a civil partnership. Heterosexual people get married. We can have civil partnerships.”
http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/16/wtf-elton-john-very-happy-with-civil-union-and-used-by-yes-on-8/
July 7th, 2009 at 12:01 pmsesli sohbet, sesli chat, seslisohbet, seslichatsesli sohbetsesli chat
July 7th, 2009 at 2:14 pmbitblt Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Good news – for some, anyway.
Focus on the Family reports that a na rth study demonstrates that some homosexuals can successfully receive reorientation therapy.
http://www. citizen link .org/CLtopstories/A000010419.cfm
New Study: Sexual Orientation Can Be Changed
by Gary Schneeberger, CitizenLink editor
July 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
upright left Says:
Elton John WAS married to a man named David Furnish in 2005. While it IS a marriage in everything but name it is CALLED a civil partnership THAT is what he was talking about.
July 8th, 2009 at 2:02 ambit spare us your ignorant non scientific bogus rightwing moron studies. You are a bigot and you are ignorant. No one in their right minds cares in the least what a bigoted moron like you thinks about gays or gay marriage. Just STFU
July 8th, 2009 at 2:03 am#67 – bitblt Says:
“Focus on the Family reports that a narth study demonstrates that some homosexuals can successfully receive reorientation therapy.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
NARTH has been proven to use biased studies and fabricated “evidence” to support their prejudices.
A much better site is Betty Bowers web site. They don’t hide the fact they are a parody site, and a much better read than anything that NARTH can fabricate.
http://www.bettybowers.com
July 8th, 2009 at 10:22 amFor those who might have not noticed this in bit’s post above:
July 8th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
#71 – bitblt Says:
———————————————————
For those who might have not noticed this in bit’s post above:
“peer-reviewed Journal of Human Sexuality”
July 8th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Care to provide a link to this report? NARTH is about promoting their perveted world-view, and imposing their morality on everyone else, no matter the truth.
Here’s some links that contradict your opinion:
“Three former leaders of an international ministry that counsels gays to change their sexual orientation apologized for their efforts, saying that though they acted sincerely, their message had caused isolation, shame and fear.”
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/18583/gay-counseling
“Hurting people for “God” and profit: The “ex-gay” scam exposed, yet again”
July 8th, 2009 at 4:29 pmBy Mel Seesholtz, Ph.D.
onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_2147.shtml
bit’s opinion is that NARTH has published an article promoting the reorientation therapy for some homosexuals. bit is not able to speak to the efficacy of this therapy.
bit does to believe there are people who claim to have homosexuality. Again, bit doesn’t claim to know exactly how successful these people were.
This is a summary of the article published in the Journal of Human Sexuality
July 8th, 2009 at 9:24 pmhttp://www.narth.com/docs/journalsummary.html
A link to the journal is at the end of the article.
Well, it’s only pixels…
bit’s opinion is that NARTH has published an article promoting reorientation therapy for some homosexuals. bit is not able to speak to the efficacy of this therapy, and this is not an opinion with which anyone can disagree.
bit does believe there are people who claim to have left homosexuality. Again, bit doesn’t claim to know exactly how successful these people were or what difficulties they experienced.
This link is to a summary of the article published in the Journal of Human Sexuality:
http://www.narth.com/docs/journalsummary.html
A link to the journal is at the end of the article.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:27 pm#74 – bitblt Says:
———————————————————-
“Well, it’s only pixels…
http://www.narth.com/docs/journalsummary.html
A link to the journal is at the end of the article.”
July 8th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Well, the truth comes out. The “Journal for Human Sexuality” is NOT a peer-reviewed publication at ll! It’s only NARTH responses to a peer-reviewed publication by the APA that states that gay-conversion therapy does indeed cause mental, emotional, ans spiritual harm to the individual.
In fact, the title of this “Journal” is “NARTH’s Response to the APA Claims on Homosexuality.” See for yourself:
http://www.shop.pilgrimageresources.com/category.sc?categoryId=2
Seems that NARTH doesn’t allow facts to rebut their claims, therefore they cannot claim to be “peer-reciewed”.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:23 amDemocrat Soldier Says:
.
.
.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Other the undermining NARTH’s credibility, bit’s not sure what point you’re trying to make.
One group of experts, PhDs, disagrees with another group of experts, PhDs.
Ok. So what?
One chooses experts whose conclusions most closely agree with what one wants.
NARTH works with people who have undesired same sex attraction and want to be free of it.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:52 am#76 – bitblt Says:
———————————————————-
“One chooses experts whose conclusions most closely agree with what one wants.”
July 9th, 2009 at 8:52 am
This is the pertinent phrase of your comment. The experts that NARTH cite ignore the data that disagrees with their pre-determined conclusions. That is not “science”, by any stretch.
Even you have to admit that truth.
July 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pmThe experts that NARTH cite ignore the data that disagrees with their pre-determined conclusions. That is not “science”, by any stretch.
Even you have to admit that truth.
bit doesn’t know that they “ignore” the data that disagrees with their view, and what you’re saying could be equally true of the APA or of NARTH.
Even hard science is affected by the “consensus” view. If you know the history of APA removing homosexuality from their diagnostic manual of mental disorderes – as many conservative sites know it, you would know that it wasn’t science that got the homosexuality removed, but APA politicis.
July 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
#78 – bitblt Says:
———————————————————
“Even hard science is affected by the “consensus” view. If you know the history of APA removing homosexuality from their diagnostic manual of mental disorderes – as many conservative sites know it, you would know that it wasn’t science that got the homosexuality removed, but APA politicis.”
July 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
I’ve heard the complaint from con sites about how 20% of the official members voted to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder, but they seem to gloss over the fact that the voting percentage is the same for all other votes to include or remove disorders. Makes one wonder why they pick and choose their votes about which they complain.
“NARTH upholds the rights of individuals with unwanted homosexual attraction to receive effective psychological care, and the right of professionals to offer that care.”
NARTH, again, glosses over the testimonials of the ex-ex-gay crowds, and refuses to acknowledge the percentage of people who’ve “failed” their therapy. It’s not like NARTH is AA, they are very proud of the few people who’ve “converted”, but only for as long as these people remain “converted”. They seem to pass blame for their failure onto the people, and not onto their therapy.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:24 amDemocrat Soldier Says:
.
.
.
July 10th, 2009 at 9:24 am
From the first time bit read about NARTH, he thought it had a sort of “…the one who has the most belief succeeds …” tone about it, but what would one expect?
But, nonetheless, please make a point.
Are you trying to say they shouldn’t be touting reorientation therapy?
Are you trying to say their therapy is not 100% effective after 5 years?
Are you trying to say they shouldn’t promote reorientation therapy until it’s 100% effective?
Are you trying to say they should offer a money back guarantee?
On TP the only poster who associates numbers with homosexuality is bit. So when you say there’s an ex-ex-gay crowd, how large a group of people are you talking about?
Percentage of homosexuals in the general population: 2.8%.
Percentage of homosexuals interested in marriage ( based on MASS experience when the license was available to only residents)? 2.0% – that’s 0.1% of the general population – is interested in so called same-same gender marriage.
Percentage of homosexuals with unwanted same-same sex attraction? ????%
Percentage attempting reorientation therapy? ????%
Percentage successful ????%
DS, need some numbers. All you seem to be ?saying is that it doesn’t work for everyone. Ok?
July 10th, 2009 at 10:49 am