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ACLU of Colorado Announces 2016 Ballot Positions

As ballots are being mailed out starting today to every Colorado voter, the ACLU of Colorado announced positions on three statewide initiatives and one Denver charter amendment. The ACLU of Colorado also created a voter information page with key dates, information on registration, ballot return, and the voting rights of students, overseas voters, people who are homeless and people who are currently or have been incarcerated.

The following are the ACLU of Colorado’s official positions on the 2016 Colorado ballot:

SUPPORT Proposition 106 – End of Life Options Act
The ACLU has historically been and remains a strong advocate for the right of individuals who are terminally ill (defined as having six months or less to live) to decide how to spend their final days, how to manage or avoid pain and suffering, and how to face death, including the right to seek physician assistance in ending one's own life.

While the ACLU supports aid in dying, it also recognizes the need for protections from abuse of these laws. The ACLU of Colorado fully supports Proposition 106, but advocates strong reporting practices to ensure no one acts under lack of alternatives, misunderstanding or undue pressure, and the ACLU encourages all Coloradans to carefully consider the concerns of the disability community. Under no circumstances should the lives of people with disabilities be devalued, and it should never be suggested that living with a disability means living with anything less than full meaning and dignity.

For more information, please read ACLU of Colorado Supports Aid in Dying, and As a Civil Libertarian, I Struggle with Colorado’s Aid in Dying Ballot Initiative.

OPPOSE Amendment 71 – Requirements for Initiated Constitutional Amendments
The ACLU has long maintained that fundamental Constitutional rights should not be subject to majority vote, and shares concerns that the Colorado Constitution is too easy to amend. But Amendment 71 goes too far. By requiring a percentage of signatures from all 35 state senate districts, Amendment 71 would essentially shut off access to a vital part of the democratic process to all but the most highly-resourced special interests. The signature requirement would make it extremely difficult to get rid of past amendments to the Constitution, and it would give veto power to a single district to block a vote on matters of statewide significance. Equal access for all citizens to the democratic process is an ACLU value, and for these reasons we urge voters to reject Amendment 71.

SUPPORT Amendment T – Remove Slavery from the Colorado Constitution
Even though Colorado was never a slave state, our state Constitution still contains language allowing slavery — as a punishment for crime. Words matter and slavery in any circumstance is immoral. Amendment T was placed on the ballot unanimously by both houses of the Colorado legislature. By voting Yes on T, Colorado voters can remove that archaic language from our Constitution and send a clear message that whatever our criminal justice system is, it should not be slavery.

For more information, read Take Out Slavery – Vote YES on Amendment T.

SUPPORT Amendment 2B (Denver Ballot) – Include the Independent Monitor in the Denver Charter
The Office of the Independent Monitor is a critical police accountability tool that is primarily responsible to the people of Denver. The Independent Monitor currently only exists in City ordinance, which means it could easily be dissolved by the Mayor or City Council. By placing the Independent Monitor in the City Charter, it could only be removed or dissolved by a vote of the people. The Independent Monitor would be solidified by Amendment 2B and further empowered to protect the rights of the citizens of Denver by holding law enforcement accountable.

Denver Zoo and CH2M employees clean South Platte River

Denver Zoo and CH2M, presenting sponsor of the Zoo’s traveling art exhibit, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, joined forces Saturday, October 15, to clean up trash that had “washed ashore” the South Platte River. Employees from both organizations worked to collect and recycle debris, supporting the mission of Denver Zoo’s current art installation: to raise awareness about plastic pollution and minimize the amount of debris left on beaches and in water sources.

Washed Ashore features 15 giant sculptures of marine life, made almost entirely from trash collected from beaches. Though Denver is far from any ocean, it is estimated that 80 percent of ocean pollution originates from activities on land and flows down rivers to oceans.

Denver Zoo partnered with CH2M because of the firm’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency, including deep expertise in water, transportation and environmental services. CH2M helps clients and communities around the world solve complex challenges by advancing sustainability in the development of infrastructure and industry, balancing social, economic and environmental priorities. CH2M is sponsoring the exhibit and cleanup to promote awareness, education and community involvement, protecting natural resources and ensuring public access to safe, reliable water supplies.

Your Ballot is on the Way, a Reminder from One Colorado

You should be receiving your ballot in the mail in the next week. Once you get your ballot, make sure you return it by 7pm on Tuesday, November 8th.

Click here to find your closest polling place or ballot drop box.

As a voter this year, you'll be joined by millions of your fellow Coloradans in making your voice heard. Many contests will be so close that a small number of votes will determine the outcome.

One of those crucial votes could be yours -- but only if you're a voter.

Make sure you return your ballot by 7pm on Tuesday, November 8th.

Voting by mail? Put your ballot in the mail by Tuesday, November 1st.
Dropping it off? Find a convenient ballot drop box at www.justvotecolorado.org.

Mark your calendar and save this email so you can refer back to it when you get your ballot!

If you have questions about voting, or need to update your voter registration, you can find all the information you need here.

PS: In case you missed it, here is One Colorado PAC's State House and Senate endorsements.

Conversations with Eugene Ebner & Brayton Bollenbacher of Diverse Harmony

 

Eugene Ebner converses with Brayton Bollenbacher, the Artistic Director of Diverse Harmony which is the nation’s first queer-straight alliance youth chorus. Diverse Harmony was featured in Denver at the 2016 GALA Choruses Festival with over 135 youth chorus members from all over the country performing their concert Youth Invasion from Gay to Z. Brayton shares that Diverse Harmony and other LGBTQ youth choruses provide a safe environment for individuals to fully be themselves, accepted and express their creativity through the power of music.

Fly to Florida — on the Log Cabin Republicans

Log Cabin Republicans is partnering with American Unity PAC​ to sponsor individuals willing to help Congressman Carlos Curbelo in his bid for reelection!

LCR PAC has endorsed Rep. Curbelo for reelection, and his race is one of the most competitive in the country. He needs YOUR support!

If you're interested in flying to Florida from 11/4 – 11/9, please email assistant@logcabin.org ASAP. Your flight, lodging, and a per diem for meals will all be covered for the duration of the trip. But space is limited! Email assistant@logcabin.org for additional details and to secure your spot as a key player in this historic election today!

Andy Shauf - Quite Like You

 

Renowned singer-songwriter Andy Shauf has premiered a new video for his song "Quite Like You." The track is from Shauf’s acclaimed album The Party, which Q Magazine recently described as “a warm mix of late-period Beatles melodicism and Nilsson in his more melancholic moments.”

The animated video, featuring an alien house party, was directed Chad Vangaalen who said, "Andy's story was really easy to get inside of and hang out for a while, so I just sat right here in my drawing chair and decided what type of fashion the party mutants would be wearing. Tennis ball pedestal helmets will obviously be available soon-ish."

Logo Documentary Films' "HUNGRY" Spotlights Three Women Chefs Who Are Re-Writing Industry Rules

Logo today announced the world premiere of “Hungry,” a documentary about three driven women chefs and restaurateurs passionately working to create a path to success in the world of professional cooking. These chefs shatter the glass ceiling in the food industry as they risk everything to achieve their culinary and entrepreneurial dreams. The film is directed by Patty Ivins who won an Emmy for producing the documentary “Girls on the Wall.” "Hungry" will premiere on Thursday, November 17 at 9pm ET/PT on Logo and is the latest in the network’s slate of films that include the Emmy Award-winning “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine.”

“These three culinary rock stars provide a rare glimpse into the fascinating and complicated journey of being a woman, a chef and an entrepreneur,” said Taj Paxton, Executive Producer of Logo Documentary Films. “Through the stories of these chefs, we see every professional woman who excels in the face of adversity."

The Feline Fix - Caring for Colorado's Community Cats

More than 20,000 cats are euthanized annually in Colorado simply because there are not enough homes for them all. Unfortunately, we can't simply adopt our way out of the problem. 

An unaltered female cat, tame or feral, may become pregnant as early as five months of age and bear two to three litters per year for her entire life; which for a feral cat is roughly five years.

The purpose of Divine Feline and it's clinic, The Feline Fix, is to reduce the number of unwanted and homeless cats and to promote the health and welfare of all cats, feral and tame, through the practice of providing quality and affordable spay and neuter services and the practice of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return).

Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted For Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Are you a new or experienced writer or blogger? Do you want to be? Or maybe you're just some gay guy with something to say? Well, what better forum for you than MileHighGayGuy?

MileHighGayGuy is looking for regular and guest bloggers to write about local news and events, do music and movie reviews, or write opinion or feature pieces from a gay perspective.

These are unpaid positions but offer the opportunity to be published in Colorado's Best Gay Blog (2010, 2011, 2012 OUTstanding Awards, Denver 2012 #WebAwards), expand your audience and gain valuable experience. There's also swag available in the form of free movie and concert tickets, music, books and other cool stuff.

If interested, shoot an email over to Drew Wilson at drew@milehighgayguy.com. And if you've got column or story ideas to pitch, this is the place to do it.

The Gay Vegans: Be Yourself

By Dan Hanley

Be yourself! There is so much going on in our communities.

With everything going on, it seems many have lost a sense of how to communicate or debate without completely demonizing whoever they disagree with. This is a huge bummer for me, as someone who is always trying to engage with others and to encourage our readers to be a part of the debate. Please remember through all of this, no matter what, to be yourself.

Yes, there are those who will attack you and in some cases even get ugly. Even people you are in relationship with might get a little pissy. We cannot remain silent. And it’s pretty simple to express ourselves without being judgmental or unkind to others. Also, there is no shortage of opportunities to speak out against something that horrifies and speak up for something that we wholeheartedly support.

Turn to politics. It’s vital that we are involved and if we remain silent people who do not value what we value could get elected. Get involved.

With veganism and animal rights there are opinions all over the place as to what that means. If you don’t think promoting cage free eggs or humane meat helps animals who are suffering right now, then say something. If you’ve made a vegan recipe that blew your mind, share it. Support a group that fights for what you believe in and don’t be afraid to speak out for what you believe in. There are so many voices out there, and a lot of noise, so make sure yours is part of that!

Be yourself. Wear a t-shirt that promotes your beliefs. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Promote a link on your social media. Make a donation to a non-profit that matches your values.

The most important thing to me personally is that when you do all of this, do it with kindness, compassion and love. Remember that, especially when expressing your opinions on animal rights and animal cruelty, that you may be the only voice that a suffering animal has. There are times when disrupting and being loud are necessary, but when expressing yourself to people you know and during your day to day life, kindness prevails.

This post originally appeared on Dan Hanley's website The Gay Vegans. Republished with permission.

Books: The Feast

Thanksgiving is just 43 days away! For some it's a delightful day, but for many it conjures up nightmares more suitable for Halloween! Jason Leclerc, political columnist for Watermark Magazine and author of the new book, Black Kettle, would love to offer the delightful excerpt from his book, The Feast, for inclusion in your November plans.

Featuring two grandmothers, two gay sons and one visiting neighbor's son, surely nothing can go wrong! Until you add two additional types of gravy, one dry turkey, sweet potato casserole and multiple pies setting the stage for Thanksgiving's "best in show"!
“It is the nineties, after all.” The uselessly inaccurate non-sequitur tumbled out of her mouth. Her lips quivered as a follow-up threatened. Delicately, she patted her own head to collect the moisture forming above her brow. I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up into a grin that I had to stifle.

“Woman, have you bumped your head?” The attempt at crisis diffusion was immediately halted with the delicacy of granite on glass. I loved his mother at that moment as nearly as much as I love him every day. She was as preciously rambunctious as my own Momma and the only woman I had ever seen stand up to her.

"Will you please pass the gravy?' a third voice chimes in. “White or brown?”
Not yet articulate in the ways of diplomacy,121 the youngster whose dry overcooked turkey cried out for anything to make it palatable, weighed his words with a wise precision beyond his years. Opting over, “I don’t care” in favor of “Both, please. I love them both,” he proved quite the Solomonesque natural.

Sadly, he is the neighbor’s kid and had no commonality with the dominant gene pool in which this dinner was soaked. His parents had dumped him off on us as their oddly timed “romantic retreat” took them to the Caribbean over Thanksgiving break. Leaving the boy with us, the ubiquitous “gays next door,” was considered better than dragging him along on this, the only chance they’d have to be alone until Easter. Besides, we adored the kid, we needed a prop to finish off the dining room setting, and we must not have seemed the gay-proselytizing type. While he might one day make a fantastic homo—especially with his extraordinary smile and budding inclination for show tunes—we are just as happy that he might one day marry a prom queen as be one. He is precious and always a joy to have in our home.

Two surrogate grandmothers, glaring at each other, reached for their own lumpy concoctions and passed them in the boy’s direction. Using the same ladle to dip into the two adjacent gravy boats, he reveled in the joy that congeals in a child with unlimited gravy and no parent to urge its moderate application.

“What else would you like, Honey?” With a quick twist of her head, my Momma both toothily smiled and menacingly glared at the two aims of her attention: a sweet boy and her own rival. “I have not bumped my head and your turkey is dry.” Pushing her butter–and-sugar-strewn sweet-potato casserole in the boy’s direction, she added, “The driest I have ever tasted. Here Honey, pile some of this on top of your turkey. It’ll make it not so blasted dry.” She puckered her lips and wrinkled her nose as the word “dry” lingered over the table with more acrimony than overcooked asparagus. I remained restrained at the edge of uncontrollable laughter only by the glint of mortification in my husband’s eye.... 

Jason Leclerc is an internationally renowned poet (PoetEconomist.Blogspot.com), prolific blogger (SemioticArbitrage.blogspot.com), film-maker (FLAG, 2018), and political columnist (Watermark Magazine). As concerned with form as he is with quality storytelling, the author of Momentitiousness brings his socioeconomic theories to bear each day through trade. Connect with Leclerc on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and http://momentitiousness.com/black-kettle/.

Black Kettle is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and in bookstores everywhere.

Come Out. Get Fit With Stonewall Fitness.

Looking for more guidance and direction at the gym? Someone who can help you design a workout to maximize each workout at the gym so you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible? Check out Stonewall Fitness. Whether you're just starting out or looking to mix up your current routine, no matter if your gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer or straight, you can be a part of it.

Do You Want To Reach Denver's Gay Community? Advertise With Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Do you want to advertise to Denver’s gay community? Of course you do, it’s the 7th largest in the United States! And the best way to reach them is with MileHighGayGuy – Colorado’s Best Gay Blog.

 Just click the Advertising page or email sales@milehighgayguy.com to get started today.

Mile High Magicians Society Magic! Beyond Belief!! XI

On November 5, Mile High Magicians Society presents the 11th Annual Magic - Beyond Belief!, a magical event not to be missed. There will be close-up magic in the lobby followed by two solid hours of exciting magic and amazing feats. This night blends magic, merriment and mystery in a delightfully entertaining evening the entire family will enjoy. This one-night-only performance features nationally recognized magicians and has sold out for the past ten years!

This year Magic - Beyond Belief! welcomes Autumn Morning Star! Autumn has been working as a full-time magician for over thirty-years and performs her show nationally and internationally, in five different languages. She has fascinated thousands of audiences across the country and around the world as she artfully blends magic and illusion with her Native American heritage to create an entertainment experience unique to the world of magic! Morning Star will captivate you and take you from slap-your-thigh laughter to heartfelt tears in a matter of minutes.