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Good News! The Blog Carnival for Progressive Christians is here at last:
The carnival for Progressive Christians came out of a conversation about frustration with the organized Christian church. As a Christian without a church, I am in a quandary about sacraments, worship, fellowship…all those things that happen in a church, and I am deeply conflicted about attitudes and behaviors I see within the organized church, attitudes that, in my opinion, do not reflect the mind of Christ. The Carnival is open to anyone, and is a safe place for queer/trans/non-normative folk.If this speaks to you, go submit an article.
Do you ever feel frustrated with Church? What do you do to keep in touch with God? Have you written about your experiences and how you deal with them? The theme for July is “Community”.
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One Good Reason I Oppose the Death Penalty:
There are INNOCENT PEOPLE on death row.
At left, Glen Edward Chapman, who spent 14 years in prison, a good deal of that time on North Carolina’s death row. He was convicted of two murders in Hickory, NC, in 1994. Nelda Holder reports in Mountain Xpress: Chapman is the 128th death-row inmate to be exonerated and freed, nationally, since 1973, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.
That conviction, however, was reversed in 2008, due to diligent work by a legal team [see “Sprung” in the previous week’s Mountain Xpress] that has just been announced as winners of the WNC American Civil Liberties Union’s 2008 Evan Mahaney Champion of Civil Liberties Award, which they will receive on June 7.
Marion attorney Frank Goldsmith and Chapel Hill attorney Jessica Leaven share the award spotlight with mitigation specialist Pamela Laughon — a psychology professor at UNCA who brought student volunteers into the research — as well as Asheville-based private investigator Lenora Topp. The case for Chapman’s release was built on a series of legal missteps uncovered by the team, including evidence never submitted in his original trial and a confession by another person.
For more information, see also the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Photo of Chapman from Mountain Xpress.
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I first heard Sean Costello's music only quite recently. He was a prodigy, releasing his first album at the age of 17. And now he has left us, already, only one day before his 29th birthday. So, so young.
House of Blues Radio Hour fans may have heard the musical eulogy given by Elwood on the weekly radio show. The official cause of death isn't listed online, and Elwood only mentioned that Debbie Smith, Sean's mother, has set up the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research, with instructions on Sean's website about how to donate:
The Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Research
c/o BB&T
3620 Tramore Pointe Parkway
Austell, Georgia 30106.
Such requests usually signal a death from substance abuse and/or suicide, and my deepest condolences go out to Ms. Smith. The loss of one so young, so talented, is just wrenching.
Yall might contribute if you can.
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Also:
JoJo gives us great photos (and a guided tour) of the Edward Gorey house in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts. G is for George, smothered under a rug/H is for Hector, done in by a thug. I'd love to visit the house on Halloween!The latest asshole to storm Blogdonia is one Rachel Moss, who tried to be Ann Coulter and (of course) pissed everybody off. And then, the whole thing mushroomed when other rightwingnut partisans jumped in. It's quite instructive to read about how these things get out of hand; a study in Blogdonia-swarms, as well as anonymous racist baiting, all spiced up with hatred of fat and transgendered people. Now, poor Rachel Moss is hysterical and probably in hiding. (Stay there, okay?)
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And finally, the best for last! From Axinar's, comes one Harriet Christian (no relation to my man Ted, don't think!) who is giving it to us straight:
Tell us how you really feel!
