Legalize Gay Attacked

“Legalize Gay” T-shirts Attacked

Vandals in the Washington, D.C., area attacked a display of pro-gay t-shirts at an American Apparel store on Wednesday and telephoned a follow-up threat to another store, reports the Washington City Paper .

Glass was shattered around 5 a.m. at the Silver Spring, Md., store location, but nothing was stolen, according to the manager. T-shirts against Proposition 8, California’s anti-gay-marriage measure, were displayed on the opposite side of the glass.

Later on Wednesday morning, the American Apparel store in Georgetown received a call from an irate man, asking whether he had reached the Silver Spring location. Told he had not, he mentioned the “offensive” T-shirts with the “Legalize Gay” slogan in the window, and he threatened that he and his friends would break the window unless the shirts were removed.

The Silver Spring store temporarily removed its front window display in the meantime.

American Apparel issued a statement against the attack and threat, saying, “Not only are they not going to prevent us from speaking out on an issue that is important to this company and our employees, but we’ll continue to run ‘Legalize Gay’ advertisements in papers across D.C.-Metro area. We’ll also send ‘Legalize Gay’ T-shirts to any group in Washington, D.C., that is fighting for gay rights and will help support any protest or rally for the cause.”
Source: Advocate

Unpleasant Tasks

-Are there tasks that you find unpleasant?  I know that over the course of my life, there have been some duties at work, and some tasks around home that I have absolutely hated to do.  My very own attitude is mostly what made those tasks and duties that way.

Instead of looking for ways to avoid the effort, what I should have done and what I now do … is to look for ways to make them fun.  It took me many years to change my mind set and to decide that I’ll enjoy whatever I am doing – no matter how difficult or how miserable or how lousy the task or duty was to do.

If your like me, you probably complained a bit or knew guys who would gripe and complain because they had to do this or they had to do that.  I guess it in many occasions, is just human nature.

If I truly appreciate each and every opportunity that I have to be productive and effective the task or the duty will be easier.  Find joy in the experience of making a difference.

Hard as it may be, it’s necessary to tell myself to enjoy what I’m doing, and in the end, l will do that task or that duty well.  Enjoy what I’m doing, and I’ll reliably get it done.

If there is one thing that I’ve discovered about unpleasant tasks or duties … it is simply this … rather than punishing myself with resentment, I learned to reward myself through effective effort.  My dad was a master sergeant in the United States Army in World War II, and living with him at time was almost what I thought to be pure hell.  But now, many years later – I’ve come to learn that his ways were right and that disciple and “doing” is what made the difference in my life.  When I was in high school, my classmates had to make up “sayings” about each graduating student.  My saying was simply this: “Determination rules his mind, ambition like his is hard to find”  I took pride in that saying and never forgot it.

So my attitude was mine to choose from that very day until now … so if you choose a positive attitude – that will bring truly outstanding results for you in your life.  It did for me, I know that for a fact.

Whatever the situation, allow yourself to know the joy and happiness that comes from making a positive contribution in life.

If you make every effort a joy, and make great things happen.

-Steve came home last night … feeling unhappy with (1) his softball team and (2) his softball performance – saying he just is not the player he was in the past – and that he’ll be glad when the season is over.

I felt bad for him … but I didn’t say much … sometimes keeping one’s mouth closed is all that needs to be said – especially if your friend or partner gets upset and is down.

When you put every effort you have into something – like softball – and the balance of your team and leadership has no effort and is not consistent – it is hard to get excited about the game and winning.  I told Steve when he called … “it’s just a game pal” – even the professional teams of any and all sports have those kinds of days and years when they don’t play well.

I said, “I’ll hang up (we were talking on our cell phones to one another) and let you turn up some of your music and just relax on the way home.

Last night, softball was an unpleasant task and duty for even my partner Steve – who normally is very very positive.  Soon the season will be over, and he can put this behind himself.

-Until next time…

Friday And We Are On Vacation Today