The LuLac Edition #2383, March 28th, 2013

This week’s Time Magazine cover on the Gay Marriage issue. (Photo: Time Magazine) 

GAY MARRIAGE 

I met my first gay person when I was twenty five years old. It was the late 70s and I was dating a woman named Nancy who had a daughter. (My father referred to the divorcees I dated as “widows” because he could never rationalize divorce). It was the glorious time of Vispi’s Camelot Lounge and one night Nancy and I stepped out and were on the dance floor. To the tune of “I Love the Night Life”, we were joined by a lithe man who danced between us. At first I thought he wanted to cut in but then after dipping her, he twirled me around in a type of Anthony Quinn “Fiddler on the Roof” dance move and then went on his merry way. When we sat down to our complimentary bottle of champagne (Vispi’s was known for giving you a bottle if it was your birthday) I asked who the intruding dancer was. She answered, “Oh, that’s gay Bob”. Stupidly I asked why did she call him that and she said because he was gay and his name was Bob. Since Bob was her friend, I spent time in his company. At first he was distrustful of my intentions because of Nancy’s daughter. But once I told him about my father’s “widow” theory, he was fine with us as a couple. 
So as a young man I got to see the gay experience from a very good perspective. I saw that Bob’s life was not that different than mine as a single young man in America. We both were in tenuous jobs, were spending too much money and were struggling to find the right person to love. We bonded on music and books but I never brought up sports because I “assumed” those guys never got into sports. It wasn’t until later that summer when it was Bob who strolled into Vic Mar’s on a hot August night and greeted a group of us in our booth with the opening line, “Man that was a shame about Thurman Munson dying in that plane crash. Who the hell are they (the Yankees) going to get to replace him?” 
Later on I worked with gay men and women in various jobs. I even had a gay supervisor from out of town who offended me once because she tested my reaction to her flirting with another woman at Hottle’s. I just let it go but I knew she was trying to see what this NEPA hick might think of her “awful” behavior. I just nodded and said something like, “Hmm, too short for me”. I thought about all of this as the Supreme Court hears arguments about gay marriage . I come from a traditional Roman Catholic family. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been anyone gay in our combined clans. But in terms of marriage, on both sides of the family with my late uncles and aunts, there was but one divorce. With the hundreds of cousins in the my generation and the next , there might be less than 8 divorces. So my opinion on gay marriage has been formed by my “traditional” view of marriage and my vantage point as a young person peeking into the life of a gay man. My conclusion is that gay people should have the opportunity to marry. Here’s why: 
1. They told me marriage was about commitment. When I got married only my wife listened to that part. But after coming to that party late, I find it astounding that in this age of people not willing to commit, we are going to stop people who want to make that vow work. When we are talking about gay marriage, we are not mandating that every gay person get married. We’re only giving them the opportunity if they want to. Let them enjoy the fruits of a shared life like retirements and happily ever after. But also let them deal with the burden of being a married couple living in the America with the current  middle class tax structure.  If they want to commit, the sooner the better. Increase that revenue pool. 
2. The people opposing this talk about the kids. It’s always about the kids isn’t it? With the illegitimacy rate at nearly 49%, I’d say two gay parents are better than a single mom who is raising kids alone. I dated many of them and their lot in life was not fun. Plus consider this. With so many blended families and single women with multiple kids by more than one father, are you going to tell me that a Ted and Al or Barb and Betty are not as strong as a Mom with two or three fathers running around in the family unit? You think those kids in that arrangement are getting the same love and attention by just having two parents of whatever gender? Give me a Fred/Frank or Mary/Sally set of parents any day as opposed to a Mom, a Julio, a Vince and a Tom raising kids. Kids with women who have habitually multiple husbands are better off being raised by cats. 
3. Finally, religion. As a Roman Catholic if my church does not want to offer the sacrament of marriage, then that is their prerogative. Gays who want a religious sanctioned marriage should find a like minded entity. Perhaps organized religious groups think being gay is a sin. That’s their call. But we are all sinners and if your poison is loving someone of the same sex, it isn’t my sin nor my concern. Marriage is not about religion anyway. It helps but is not the defining thing the religious bible beaters would like to you believe. 
The success of a marriage depends not on heterosexuality, homosexuality or lesbianism. Like all relationships, when the sex flames out and there’s nothing else, you essentially got nothing. The best description I ever heard of a good marriage was from Gerry Flaherty who owns the renowned “Flaherty’s Drinking Establishment”. Before Gerry had his bar, I worked with him at a Youth agency in Wilkes Barre. Gerry once said this about marriage, “It’s like a store. You open up for business every day and work hard at your marriage. There are some good days and bad days. The good days you enjoy, the bad days you just forget about them, turn the lights out and start up fresh the next morning opening up the store. You don’t look back and talk about that bad day yesterday because you’ll never get it back. You keep working in that store every day. That’s what makes a good marriage”. 
Gerry told me that in 1980 shortly before he opened up his first bar on Park Avenue in Wilkes Barre. It is time for America to unlock the doors and give gay people the keys to open up that store Gerry Flaherty was talking about. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT 

Those "job creators" at their natural state. It fits for the gaming decisions. (Photo: Ogden on Politics.com) 

GAMING WELFARE? WTF? 

The recent announcement of the more than 12 million dollars from gaming revenues to some private entities the other day was nothing short of a disgrace. There were some worthy projects like the revitalization for downtown Pittston and the flood recovery money for the hard hit borough of West Pittston. Building a new Fire Station on the Sans Souci Highway for Hanover Township will improve safety for that area. Ashley Borough, Newport Township, Pittston Township and Duryea received money to repair or renovate government buildings that would otherwise have not been completed or put on hold. Two non profits, the Kirby as well as United Neighborhood Community Development Corporation got money for improvements. Those were good things. It is money that goes back into the community, FOUND MONEY if you will. Geisinger Medical Center, the most profitable health care entity in the state gets $400,000 for an expansion of its neuroscience area. At first I thought, why do they need the money? But then it was stated that  this investment would actually create 21 new full time, good paying jobs. And with the need for these services, especially with people needing care for life threatening illnesses, you know those jobs will become a reality. 
But there were other grants awarded that just don’t pass the smell test. Why is this state government commission giving money to private business? The money for the Hazleton bank buildings are ludicrous when you consider that the streets of Hazleton are worse than some in Afghanistan. But there’s a million bucks laid out for private business guys, some with dubious reputations so they can renovate a bank building, move their headquarters to the downtown and maybe add on a few people. And oh yes, they will lease out office space! Can’t they use their own money? Wasn’t this supposed to be community development money? Wouldn’t some of that Hazleton money be better served for maybe the Hazleton Library or the Hazleton youth program sponsored by Major League Manager Joe Maddon instead of Donald Trump wannabees? 
In last year’s Presidential election, we were told over and over how if only government got out of the way of business, more jobs would be created. We were told that we have become a nation of takers because people are living on government pensions they earned. But who the hell are the takers now? This is a lost million. You won’t see this again. Government rarely if ever asks for an accounting of what private businesses do with the money handed out for GOOD PAYING JOBS. They never come. This is a disgrace. 
The state has to rethink the way it parcels out these gaming revenues. 
First, no private businesses should get a cent. Let them invest their own damn money. 
Second, non profits and historical renovations should get first preference. 
Third, the Times Leader pointed out in an editorial that this 12 million dollars could easily have wiped out any property tax increases in all of the districts in Luzerne County. Put the money back where it was intended. 
You know Tom Corbett is gearing up for his election because he sent out a flunky to pass out his checks. Let this be a stark reminder that we need a new Governor who will prod this State Legislature to either give the money to worthy causes or property tax relief or just leave it in a fund from the casinos until someone in Harrisburg grows a set and gets a whiff of common sense. It used to be that the rich used to help the poor. Now they screw them and laugh all the way to their new and fancy bank buildings….paid for by us. 

Senator Bob Casey and the late Governor Bob Casey Senior. (Photo: National Journal). 

SON OF THE FATHER 

Bob Casey Junior the Senator was on TV the other morning talking about gun control. Casey said that since the tragedies at Connecticut in December he changed his stance on various aspects of guns. Casey said that even if the measure is not at full strength, he wanted to make a vote despite any political fallout from the gun lobby. Casey said that a vote like that only comes around once or twice in a while and as a Legislator you have to look back to see “what you did when you had the vote”. That statement echoes Bob Casey Senior who was always fond of saying about his term in office, “What did you do when you had the power?” 
I fear that many leaders today have no idea why they are there and how to use the power they have. Of course there is a lot of GOP obstructionism, and nearly as much of Democratic staunchness against the obstruction. But these guys have to realize that one day they’ll look back and ask, “What exactly did I do when I had the chance?” In the first two decades of the 21st century, I’d say “Not too much”.

U.S. Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: LuLac archives). 

CARTWRIGHT’S ANNOUNCEMENT 

Today Rep. Cartwright's office  announced that the Army has awarded a contract to two companies, one of which is the General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Plant in Scranton. The $100,600,000.00 contract will be shared between General Dynamics and the IMT Defense Corporation in Westerville, OH. This contract procures a maximum quantity of 546,000 M107 Projectile Metal Parts. “This contract should serve as a boost for the hardworking men and women at General Dynamics who have built a strong reputation for building high quality projectile metal parts and components for large caliber cannons and artillery,” said Cartwright. “I am proud to have a company like General Dynamics in our District as it represents the best in American innovation. This contract is great news for our military and especially great news for Northeastern Pennsylvanians as we work to get our economy back on track.” The estimated completion date is March 26, 2018. 

MEDIA MATTERS 

THE PARTY ZONE 

Catch the new extended 70s, 80s, 90s oldies show "The Party Zone" with Shadoe Steele beginning this Saturday from 6 - midnight on 50,000 watt powerhouse WAVT-FM - T-102. ... and on line at www.t102radio.com 

ECTV 

ECTV Live takes on a serious Social issue during the week of April 1st as hosts Tom Munley and David DeCosmo welcome Mary Ann LaPota to the program to talk about the warning signs and treatment options for Child Abuse. The program is begin offered in observance of April as Child Abuse Awareness Month. ECTV Live can be seen on Comcast Ch19 each day at Noon and Midnight with selective additional showings at the 6pm time slot. Electric City Television, in cooperation with the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock is also airing replays of "Open Mic Night" which offers a venue for regional musicians and poets to perform before a live audience. 

 SUNDAY MAGAZINE

Our 1976 logo. 

1976

Patty Hearst is found guilty of armed robbery of a San Francisco bank……Argentina military forces depose president Isabel Peron………The first 4.6 miles of the Washington Metro subway system opens....The military dictatorship of General Jorge Videla comes to power in Argentina. ...............The New Jersey Supreme Court rules that coma patient Karen Ann Quinlan can be disconnected from her ventilator. She remains comatose and dies in 1985...........In Presidential politics, George Governor Jimmy Carter beats Alabama’s George Wallace in the Florida primary effectively ending Wallace’s dreams of a nomination for the party. Carter’s win signals a “New South” emerging in national politics……….On the GOP side President Ford beats challenger Ronald Reagan in the Florida vote……Florida spells the end to the candidacy of Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp. Shapp gathers less than 1% of the vote and bows out……..in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties., interest in the Presidential primary intensifies with party regulars choosing Senator Henry Jackson of Washington as their man. Coalitions of students are gearing up behind Representative Morris Udall of Arizona but an intense organization effort begins on behalf of Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. The Pennsylvania primary is set for late April….and 37 years ago the number one song in America and Lulac land was “Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright.