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The photos are the bomb!
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 On the way to San Francisco
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Bother With Fringe Benefits
by Charles Karel Bouley
According to estimates from the Census Bureau somewhere between 2.8 and 3.5 percent of the active military and reserves are members of the GLBT community, or out of 1.5 million active duty, about 75,000-80,000.
Three percent. Now, according to the Gallup polling organization there is no real way to quantify how many people in America are GLBT. I am, and as I always say, 308 million people, 308 million sexualities. However, for classification purposes, let’s go with 10%. Conservatives want that figure to be two-to-three percent, GLBT organizations say as high as 20%, so why not settle on 10%? For argument, I shall.
So, Congress, our President, the Military, the Media, the world will focus on a right that effects less than three percent of 10 percent of the population of the country. There is not evidence that if and when the ban is repealed that any more GLBT members will join. I go out often and socialize, and I just don’t run upon groups of gays sitting about wanting to join the military, particularly at a time of two wars. Oh, there are some, about three percent, but not many.
So all this hoopla to effect under one million Americans at this time. Really? This is the battle?
Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is not a gay issue at all, it’s a governmental discrimination issue, one that other governments have dealt with long ago by letting GLBT members serve openly. But make no mistake, it is a fringe benefit. And it’s ironic that the first real push the administration gets behind for the GLBT community is so members of it can go and serve their country, possibly die or be put in harms way. Let me get this straight, you need cannon fodder, you need people to help you out of this bind, people you would normally turn your backs on, disgrace, throw out, so now because you realize as an institution that you actually need these people you’ll level the playing field? Does that mean that the GLBT community is NOT a needed part of the American community and until it is shall have no rights in non-military settings, including basic marriage equality?
As a 47 year old Californian and American who happens to be gay, this does little to change my world, or those around me. In fact, even the marriage equality issue doesn’t really change much for most. Again, there aren’t mass groups of gays just sitting around wanting to get married. Out of the 30 or so million, like their nongay counterparts, Again, according to the Census Bureau, 43% of all Americans over 15 are single or choose not to marry. That would mean if you simply extrapolate down, that 18 million members of the GLBT community may want to marry, 12 million not so much. But at least that right would effect almost 60% of those in the community, not less than three.
And yet, on that issue, the administration has remained silent. As the rulings come in, silence. As the U.S. Supreme Court trounces on the First Amendment by disallowing cameras and freedom of the press and speech in a key trial, silence. Offend campaign finance, get chastised at the State of the Union. Offend gays on a regular basis, silence.
And all the hoopla? Barack Obama, as Commander in Chief, could sign an Executive Order tomorrow to do away with the policy. It’s how the military was integrated, way back when, Executive Order. He could have pulled out a napkin at the State of the Union and signed it and said, there, that’s out of the way, repealed. But no, the gays that want to serve have to be debated and approved by the good members of Congress, the Senate, high ranking military officials, because matters of equality are always best left up to various committees and tribunals.
So thank you for this positive distraction. It’s nice the administration is not so much living up to a promise, but simply rectifying a wrong that the rest of the world only scratches its head in wonder that we even approved in the first place. But it’s a fringe benefit, effecting a very, very small amount of people in the GLBT community. Marriage equality, freedom from religious oppression, equal pay, job security, economic stability, these are all issues that the GLBT community deal with in greater numbers on a daily basis.
Wake me when you get around to those.
Tune to Karel each and every day 3pm to 6pm on terrestrial radio in various markets and on the web at www.radiokrl.com
This is so very fabulous…Watch it, please, again and again. Go to 5:00 in. Replace “pigmentation” problem with “orientation” problem….
Spencer Tracy Guess Who\’s Coming To Dinner\’
Fabulous
“President Barack Obama on Saturday sharply criticized a Supreme Court decision easing limits on campaign spending by corporations and labor unions, saying he couldn’t “think of anything more devastating to the public interest.” He also suggested the ruling could jeopardize his domestic agenda…” according to a story on the lead page of the HuffingtonPost.com
The California State Supreme court upheld unfair discrimination of tax paying Americans in contract law by upholding Prop. 8, and Obama was silent (as were all the other Democrats). The same week of the ruling to which Obama refers the same court decided that Freedom of the Press and Free Speech, i.e. the First Amendment, did not apply to a Federal Case, a case that tens of thousands WANTED to see, a case the people are paying for, and a case which will, in fact, go all the way to the U.S. Supreme. Obama, and the Democrats, remained silent.
In fact, the Obama administration, Congress and the Senate have sat by as tax paying Americans fight for equality in the courts and remained silent. They have sat silent as the Catholic Church and others directly violate Church and State separation as they sit at the table of Health Care Reform and demand concessions that deny and circumvent a woman’s very private right to choose. Not only have they sat by, they’ve actually conceded.
But the administration’s silence as neocons seek control and take it, as courts ignore the rights of the people, as the Supreme Court commits obvious ethics violations by forgetting that their sole purpose in life is to interpret the Constitutionality of law, not the social acceptance or ideologies attached to those laws.
But mention money, affect the campaigning, threaten a candidates chance to compete, and he speaks. I agree with him about the ruling, it is the worst ruling made over the last 70 years and if allowed to stand as law will completely turn the process in to a fully corporately controlled and funded one ( a view already widely held).
It’s comforting to know that when the Supreme Courts of the land, either Federal or State, side with those that would oppress things like the right to marry or exercise free speech, a Constitutional Scholar like Obama remains quiet, but upset the political process financially and let the comments begin.
Impeachment proceedings should begin against several of the Justices (but won’t) for losing their way and violating their oath by applying political and religious ideologies instead of Constitutional principals. But it would appear that to the Obama administration the only way reason to criticize a judge is when their rulings effects politicians or party members.
OK, I have a facebook account for me and my friends. Don’t take this wrong, many of you are my extended friends and family but extended, not someone who I call weekly or even have the numbers. So, for Facebook, please sign up to this group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=59874721829
I will be announcing through it My live appearance Thursday, Feb 4 at 7pm in San Francisco!
Lots of rain fell in the LBC, more today!
http://gallery.me.com/karel/100416
 7th And Temple
The lead defense attorney in the Prop8 case, Charles Cooper, the lawyer that actually knows that this violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution but still defends inequality, has asked the judge in the case to destroy the video tapes of the proceedings so far. The U.S. Supreme, signaling how they will vote when the matter arrives on their desk, in a 5-4 move blocked the airing of the proceedings; proceedings We, The People, wanted to see, but they, the judges have said “No!”
Cooper’s rationale is an extension of the U.S. Supreme’s ruling that if the tapes get out the witnesses defending Prop 8, defending inequality in contract law based on gender, will be unduly harassed and less apt to testify in future proceedings. In other words, the RIGHTS of those who would amend the Constitution of the State of California and of the United States, their right to not be harrassed must supercede the First Amendment of the Constitution.
So, exactly how much trampling on the Constitution is going to go on? The First Amendment has been disregarded, the XIV has been completely broken and ignored and the ones that must be protected are those that would oppress tax paying Americans based on religious dogma, thus violating the Church/State separation as well. Might as well make Constitutional door mats so everyone can walk on them like the Justices, Proponents of Prop 8, Cooper and the rest.
And the ones who are being denied equal rights are offered no protection, no recourse, no remedy except to plod onward. Their fear over their bigotry, hatred, their uneducated, non-factual arguments based in religion and not law being one day exposed speaks volumes. It means even they know how wrong, how beyond-the-pale their arguments are; they don’t want the world to see them for what they really are, hear them how they really sound under oath, watch their condemnation of people whose only crime is they want to enter a legal contract that others in their state enjoy and not be discriminated against based on gender. Because if people were to actually see it, hear it, watch it in depth, they would be able to see it for what it really, truly is. And those that defend Prop 8 have spent millions to make sure people don’t understand what it really, truly is. Religious Ideology codified as civil law.
And everyone sits back and accepts it; takes it. On my syndicated talk show January 14, 2010, the mood of every caller from San Francisco (Green960.com) was resigned that the U.S. Supreme would uphold Prop 8 5-4 just as they did the camera ruling. And when or if that happens, it will be accepted by many. But not all. The U.S. Supreme Court’s charter is to make sure that all laws pass Constitutional muster. That’s it. Period. The XIV Amendment is very clear, and a fourth grader could see that Prop 8 clearly violates it. It would be a breach of ethics to uphold it, and ethic breaches can, in fact, be punished. It is true no Justice of the Supreme Court has ever been removed through the impeachment process, it can be done.
In 1805 Justice Samuel Chase was impeached by the House but the Senate failed to confirm. Justice Abe Fortas resigned, as the threat of impeachment loomed in 1969. It’s time again. It’s the same process as for a President, we should be familiar, right? After all, we sat by and let a seated House and Senate impeach a seated President over lying about sex and then watched as they sat idly by while a war criminal launched an illegal occupation and destroyed the nation. A Supreme Court Justice can be removed for failing to do their job or for following some other code than the Constitution, like the Bible, or Partisan politics. How? This should excite those that love the Constitution.
It takes a super majority really, like the one voters gave the Democrats in 2008. First the House draws up the articles of impeachment. Then a majority passes them (Democrats, who claim to be for equal rights, have a majority). Then, the Senate, by 2/3 vote, which progressives allegedly have, confirms the impeachment and votes to remove the Justice. They did it for a President whose only crime was lying about sex. Why can’t liberals do it to seed a court with those that love the very document they are sworn to protect more than the 60 or 70 year old antiquated ideologies? Each of the five that voted to bar the cameras, who spat on our First Amendment, should be put on notice: Ignore the Constitution again, and We, the People will do what document demands in that case.
Can’t be done? Five years ago convince America they’d elect an African American named Barrack Hussein Obama. 30 Years ago tell America they’d impeach a President for oral sex. Or that the Supreme Court would rule outside their purview and hand the Presidency to a cabal of neocons. Stranger things have indeed, happened. 100 years ago tell people that the body would give Blacks the right to vote and be equal. But it won’t be done because true progressives, true liberals are not in power. Lovers of the Constitution, those that love or loved it enough to die for it, are far and few between in today’s political landscape. If following the document causes any type of negativity that could lead to a loss of votes, then document be damned, we need the votes.
The people spoke in 2008, they wanted to move forward, to progress. No matter who is elected, the nation cannot progress if the highest court in the land is populated with those whose interpretation of the very document they are sworn to defend is skewed by conservative religious social morays. The document is neither conservative nor liberal, it is plain in its language and as the <a href=”http://www.cafepress.com/karelstore” target=”_hplink”>T-shirt I designed in honor of this fight </a>says, “Equal = Equal” and that says it all. When looking at any case, the first question should be does it meet that muster, does equal = equal or not?
The 47 year old gay man that I am doesn’t see the U.S. Supreme making marriage contract equality a reality in the near future. Nor for a moment do I believe any politician in office would even dare bring up the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court is moving far away from the very document they protect by a majority of one and that the country cannot wait until one dies or retires to get issues like equality of all Americans right.
Shame on the U.S. Supreme Court for ignoring the First Amendment and shame on most of of the Court for trying to insulate yourselves. The five of you know how you are going to vote, and you don’t want the testimony seen by the public on which you will base that decision because it will show how bigoted and antiquated your views are as well. But know this: I am an American. So are many others and we know the process to remove you and it can, in fact, be done. And as for Charles Cooper, shame on you. Shame. As an educated man you know in the depths of your intellect that this is an equal protection contract law issue, and has NOTHING to do with marriage. The right afforded by the contract of marriage is not the issue, the exclusion from that contract is.
And you’re shame manifesting in your request to destroy the tapes only proves that even you know what a despot you, and your clients, are.
Visit Karel at his website www.radiokrl.com and hear him Monday Through Friday, 3pm to 6pm Live on Green 960 KKGN San Francisco, KRXA 540 Monterey and KUDO Anchorage as well as online an in iTunes.
Major Market Commission Ad Sales Rep wanted for Syndicated Radio Show: The Karel Show, heard in afternoon drive on Green960 San Francisco (Clear Channel, #4 Market), afternoon drive on KRXA AM 540 Monterey/Salinas/Santa Cruz and p.m. drive on KUDO Anchorage (and expanding) is seeking commissioned sales reps to move our spot inventory in all markets. Established show and host. Must be a self starter and be able to hit the ground running. National and/or local radio ad sales appreciated. Start immediately. Visit http://www.radiokrl.com for more on the show and email agency@radiokrl.com for consideration. Show is heard on same stations as Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes, Mike Malloy, Ed Schultz and Ron Reagan. Show is fast paced and host is…insane, basically or else why be in talk radio? Very virtual, meaning technology oriented in work ethic..so if you don’t email, text, IM, videochat…well, it’s 2010, meaning working from your location (remotely) not an issue.
KFI, KGO, KNX, Karel has been in major radio for almost two decades. As the new decade begins, Green960, the Home of Stepahanie Miller and Randi Rhodes is bringing Karel back to the Bay Area in a big way. John Scott announced on Thursday, Jan 7, 2010 that Green 960 San Francisco, would become the local affiliate of the Karel Show starting Monday, January 11, 2010. The show is currently heard on KRXA Monterey as well as KUDO Anchorage and now enters the number four market in the country on Clear Channel’s talker. Karel, who lost his job at KGO after shouting obscenities during a break that subsequently went out on the air during a news report about “Joe the Plumber,” will do afternoon drive on KKGN “Green 960,” an AM station that has a liberal point of view, daily 3pm to 6pm.
“This is very exciting,” John Scott said on air at his State of the Station event announcing Karel on Thursday. “He’s a content monster, from radio to web, HuffingtonPost columns to …well, everything!” he added. “Not to mention he’s an incredible and unique talent. I don’t think any programmer in talk radio doesn’t know of him, he’s really made a presence for himself for years now. I hate to defer to one of his on air comments, but it’s actually true: the union IS full of hosts but there isn’t but ONE of him. We’re very glad to have him. And he’s very open to new directions, new avenues for the 21st Century and the new decade.
“John Scott and Don Parker have championed my return since the day KGO fired me, literally. They both called that day, neither knowing what they could do. Parker went on to put me on Energy 92.7 until it sold, and Scott supported me through my podcast and on air promotion of it and my live shows. Now, the two are at the same place, so bringing me in seemed natural,” Karel stated.
“I can’t wait to get back in the market. I have friends, family…many call them fans or listeners, mine are friends and family that share their drive or their lives with me for a few hours a day. I’ve missed them,” he added.
“I’ve got a big RED button in front of me, and I’m in seven second delay before I even get to the station. Then they are in delay. So, we have MANY failsafes, but this time, I control the dump button, not an engineer hundreds of miles away…” Karel added when asked of KGO.
“Jack Swanson, the head of KGO Programming, emailed me his congratulations, now that’s class,” Karel stated. “But the real story here is Hal Ginsberg and Kathy Phillips, along with Stacey Cohen. Hal, at KRXA, has taken my show from the moment KGO fired me. When Energy dumped me, he stuck with me however we had to do it, from prerecorded podcast to live show at night, to moving me to afternoon drive at his station so I could expand the show on to others. Then, Kathy Phillips at KUDO did the same, kept me on, kept me in the loop. Because I kept doing a daily show for them, I am now able to take it in to the number four market. And they’re coming with me!”
“And then there’s John Scott. Finally! He’s been in my corner since day one. Truly. And Don Parker has already put his money where his mouth is and changed formats on his other station at night just for me. These guys, well, you rarely find programmers and executives that truly believe in what you do, in your voice, and the importance of keeping it out there,” Karel added. “I’ve been so lucky. To start in this business with a pro, Malcolm Burman behind me. Then he made it possible for David G. Hall and Mark Austin Thomas to find us [reference to Karel and Andrew!]. When I left them, I worked briefly with Robin Bertolucci and Bill Lally, who had yet another unique approach to radio. When that ended, it was Trish Robbins, Jack Swanson and Mickey Luckoff. Now, it’s John Scott and Don Parker. Geez, I’ve been employed by a who’s who of radio, and to have them believe in me…all I need now is Mel, Bill Hess or Phil Boyce to smile upon me!”
Karel’s show will be exclusive to the Bay Area from 3pm to 4pm, with KRXA and KUDO (and soon, others, if Stacey Cohen, affiliate relations, has her way) joining in at 4pm. The show will be live and take calls, interactive chat room at www.radiokrl.com and so much more.
“I like the idea of Bay Area-only for an hour. Look, even though I have broadcast from my solar powered studio at my home, Park Howard, in Long Beach, CA for eight years now, I am a Bay Area local. How can you be in their community every day, in the city at least twice a month, and NOT be a member? Gavin [Newsome] and I text on a regular basis, we are friends, and we talk of the city and life there. I am connected to the Bay. My middle name is Francis, for goodness sake, the city’s namesake! And besides, I’m gay, and back in the 20th Century it used to be Mecca,” he laughed.
Karel, whose published name is Charles Karel Bouley, has had #1 talk shows at Citadel/ABC’s flagship station, KGO AM 810 San Francisco (#1 overall station) and for KFI AM 640 Los Angeles and The Karel Show can be heard in various markets including on Green 960 San Francisco, KKGN, KRXA 540 Progressive Talk Monterey/Santa Cruz, KUDO Anchorage Alaska at Green960.com San Francisco and more.. He is an entertainment reporter and film critic as well having worked for KNX 1070 Los Angeles (CBS). Karel also has filled for Bill Press on his national show on a regular basis. The show is available at iTunes as a free podcast and on Foneshow.com Karel Podcast
He is a blogger for the HuffingtonPost.com and is a columnist for the #1 gay/lesbian newsmagazine The Advocate at Advocate.com, The Long Beach/OC Blade and IN Magazine Los Angeles, as well as Billboard and others. His book of essays “You Can’t Say That” is published by Alyson Press. His music is available at iTunes and other online stores and he maintains a blog, podcasts and message boards at www.radiokrl.com and can be reached at karel@iamkarel.com.
Outside of radio and print, Karel is in an in demand stand up comic and entertainer, having done one man shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles and toured all over the country for almost 20 years as a recording artist and comic prior to radio and continuing through. He has performed at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco, headlining with Bruce Vilanch, The Comedy Store Los Angeles, The Laugh Factory Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA and does one man shows at the Hotel Nikko’s Rrazz Room in San Francisco. His show has been taped for cable TV.
Karel is also producing several show with Nickelodeon and Food Network’s Mark Summers including TheFoodGroup.tv and MusicMoto. An avid motorcyclist (he rides an Aprilia Mana 850 and Piaggio MP3s) he now is incorporating that love in to TV and radio endeavors as well. TheFoodGroup.tv mixes great food, wonderful chefs and newsmakers in a unique dinner party where tongues wag and microphones record it all and MusicMoto mixes musicians, entertainers and their bikes. Both are at major networks for placement.
Karel also appears as a guest on topical issues having appeared on such cable news networks as CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. He is a regular guest as a Macintosh Computer expert and even did two seasons as a lead actor on TNN’s “Ultimate Revenge” hosted by Ryan Seacrest (an improved practical joke show a la Punk’d) created by industry veteran Woody Fraiser. Karel produced, directed and wrote a marriage equality PSA that won second place in GLAAD’s “I Do” contest, being aired at OutFest and on national television, featuring 12 youth and a cameo by Thomas Jefferson.
Karel made history with his late partner (on and off air) Andrew Howard as the duo became the first openly gay male couple to host a major market talk show when they took over afternoon drive at KFI AM 640 Los Angeles (following Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura on the #1 talk station in the country). Upon Andrew’s untimely death in 2001, Karel went solo and personally changed state law in California so he could pursue a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of his partner. He does his shows from his studio at the home they shared, Park Howard, in Long Beach, CA, where he lives with his dogs and cat.
Breaking: The Karel Show will now be heard on Green960 and Green960.com Monday through Friday from 3pm to 6pm starting Monday, January 11th. This marks Karel’s return to San Francisco Talk Radio and adds another station for The Karel Show. More to follow!
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