The Wisconsin Light

New MMCC interior

2010-09-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

I'll bet no one has seen Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church interior lately. I hadn't been to church since my operation and a few weeks ago I started coming and I notice quite a change inside. The old hard pews were gone and replaced by nice comfortable padded chairs. The old dark interior is no longer, in place all around the sanctuary is a sandy blond baseboard and molding and the rest of the walls are a nice white texture. No more raised podium to stumble on to or off of. Gone also are the green curtains replaced instead with white sheer curtains allowing the light from outside. Lots more room and a whole lot more comfortable. Come and join us on Sunday, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

Did you know that the LGBT Center is moving?

2010-05-19T14:31:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the LGBT center is moving?

I am sorry but I have a big problem with that. Actually I have several problems with it. First of all they are moving into an office building across the street from MSOE, 1000 N. Water St. with its attendant parking garage which I am afraid to say does not comply with accommodations for people who are disabled. Not only that but the parking lot east of the building cannot be used for parking because it is part of the Milwaukee school of engineering and they don't allow anyone to park there unless you are a student and have a valid MS O E. parking permit which I am sure none of us will be able to get. I spoke with Patrick Price and Maggie Cage on the telephone and he/she indicated that the first floor was going to be used for for LGB T. group's and project Q. the second floor which he indicated contains the mezzanine will be used by the Galano Club. And from what I can see looking at Google maps using their street view that the third floor will be used for offices for those running it the LGB T. Center.

One of my biggest problems number one is where the building is located, right smack dab in the middle of the entertainment district. You know the area where the performing arts Center is located and about 20 bars frequented by college types Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Needless to say parking is still a premium. Metered parking is available on the street and at night for free if you can find a parking place. And they indicated that they had negotiated parking spaces with a nearby condominium development. Unfortunately these parking spaces do not comply with the Americans with disabilities act because there are no parking places within a reasonable distance of the entrance to the new center. Once again this building is also on a slight decline, or incline whichever you prefer making it difficult for anyone in a wheelchair to access the front door of the building. The bottom casement of the front door is not even with the cement sidewalk and therefore making it difficult for someone in a wheelchair to enter the building.

Unless you are part of the aging LGB T. community these inconsistencies become a very big problem when it is very difficult for you to negotiate, walk or use a wheelchair to get around. As far as I can see there are no disabled parking spaces nearby. There are also no buses within a reasonable distance of this new center. For this reason many of us will probably never visit the new center. Now if you would like to take the two-hour hardhat tour of the building in June, please be my guest. Anyway I would strongly suggest that anyone should check this out and let our leaders know what you think. Now I know one of the arguments they are going to make is that they want to be accessible to the kids who use project Q., but I ask you how many of these kids will live close to the LGB T. Center? Inquiring minds would like to know. Maybe it's time that we form our own LGB T. Tea Party. Just a thought.

The superficiality of the gay community

2009-07-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

The superficiality of the gay community

I think one of the things I would like to cover today concerns the superficiality of the gay community in southeastern Wisconsin. As a person way beyond the age of 30 I see our obsession with youth, our obsession with clothing or glamour as the case may be and our penchant for entertainment. Yes we do have an LGB T. community center which houses project Q for our young people and other programs dealing with sexually-transmitted diseases and wellness. But most of the rest caters to business.

What I don't see any type of activity concerning those of us who of lost our jobs or any type of committee or organization geared to helping them get back into the workplace.
A RCW has a food pantry for those suffering with AIDS and HIV yet we only list tons of non-gay organizations that may or may not be gay friendly. My question is why haven't we started our own food pantry for people in the LGB T. community? Why haven't we started some kind of organization or group that can help those out of work find work in a gay friendly environment?

For years we have had more than one gay newspaper, for one reason or another, either from financial difficulties, mismanagement, competition or just plain all around general infighting many of these papers ceased to exist. First gay magazine I can remember was the Instep which was run by Ron Geiman and later sold to Bill Atwell and later taken over by Kate Sherry. The other a long-running newspaper was to Wisconsin Light run by the late Terry Boughner and Jerry Johnson. Unfortunately many gay publications are run on a shoestring with the cost of printing and distribution steadily rising along with the lack of advertising revenue from within and without our own community is a contributing factor in the demise of many of these publications. Another publication was the Quest magazine put out by Za. Almost of I should know that they history of the instep went through multiple publishers until its ultimate demise this last year. And of course let us not forget the infamous catalyst committee wanted to put news articles in the Shepherd express. And I totally believe that their actions resulted in the demise of the Qlife magazine, that and the lack of advertising revenue and support from our gay and gay supportive businesses.

Now I am one investigative reporter who absolutely refuses to sugarcoat the news. I am not looking for the bad things however I do believe we should get the news as it happens in an unbiased manner, if that is all possible. Cute columns like ask uncle Barbie and the latest gossip on the bar scene is all well and good. After all bar rag's serve their purpose as to gossip columns but I think what we really need is hard-hitting news about the things that are happening in our community. I guess I'm just plain sick and tired of reading about lady ga ga’s latest shenanigans at pridefest or wherever. Whether we going to wake up and smell the coffee?

Pride month humbug

2009-06-16T07:25:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what all of hullabaloo is all about concerning pride. I guess I have to quote a passage from a book by Darren Main called hearts and minds. "There is an axiom that only a fool is proud of what he can't help being. I was lucky to have been born gay, but that evokes a sense of gratitude, not pride. For me, pride is the result of commitment, accomplishments and character." Otherwise I don't feel pride. I am proud of what we have accomplished and I am proud of the fact that we can walk hand in hand together. I am proud of what we have accomplished politically and that we have become a force to be reckoned with. No longer do we have to hide in the proverbial closet but instead we are standing out in the open so that people know who we are. It's easy to be prejudiced when you don't know someone who is gay but it's really hard to be that way when you know someone personally who is gay. For this I am proud. We still however have a long way to go to break down barriers and gain full equality. As Harvey Milk would say we have to be out there and let people know who we are because that's the only way we can gain acceptance and I think he's 100% correct. How about you?

Follow me on Twitter

2009-06-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hey follow me on Twitter. Garyrh is the name.
Join the fun

Announcing Pridefest celebration of our commitments

2009-06-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

Things are changing at Pridefest this year. Gone is the Mass Marriage Ceremony instead in its place is a ceremony honoring our relationships. As we all are aware constitutional amendments were made several years ago preventing us from celebrating the institutional churches monopoly on marriage. And although we have made strides in various states throughout the union that are now recognizing gay marriage we still have a long way to go. I personally don't believe in the institution of marriage, it is antiquated, it is restrictive and no longer relevant. Way back when I was on the board of Action Wisconsin I said that if we wanted marriage we must first get Domestic Partnerships and once we get our foot in the door then and only then do we go after the institution of marriage, because by then we will have gotten 99% of the benefits that marriage offers. We must also remember that marriage or the institution thereof is between ourselves and God and not between us and the government. Apparently most of us have forgotten that or ignored it at the worst. I know that many of you will disagree with my sentiments but unfortunately it is the truth.

I am extremely happy to present to you here Pridefests new Celebration of our Relationships which will be presented by the Universal Angelican Church presided by the Right Rev. Bishop Craig Berglund. I have included the YouTube announcement for your edification.

LGB T. Center panics

2009-05-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Just a note for curiosity sake the swine flu scare has not only affected Milwaukee public schools but also our LGB T. Community Center. On May 2 apparently somebody got sick and they all panicked, the police and paramedics were called and the center was closed for the evening just in case it might be the flu. So for all those of you who had some sort of meeting at the community center I guess you would say it was just a false alarm.
In case you don't know or haven't seen the news Cdc has issued a statement concerning the swine flu indicating that the current strain is a mild one similar to the flu strains that we normally see during flu season. They still are however studying the current strain and preparing vaccines for the fall just in case it comes back with a vengeance. Just remember frequently wash your hands and if all possible use a hand sanitizer just to be on the safe side. Try to stay away from anyone who may be coughing or exhibits any type of flu like symptoms. Cover your mouth if you must cough and if you don't have many tissue instead of coughing into your hand you should use the inside of your elbow instead. And of course if you don't have to go out or be in large crowds don't. Instead of going to the movies or to a show rent a flick, pop some popcorn and enjoy.
Y'all keep healthy, you hear?

I'm back Silent no longer

2009-03-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

It has been rather silent around here mainly because I have been recuperating from spinal surgery on my neck which you can learn more about about on my blog Garysdish. Well I'm back and I'll be covering whatever is happening here in Milwaukee and elsewhere. Because I know about the cost of print publication, combined with the added expense of putting the same publication on the Internet I decided to devote my time and energies strictly to the Internet. I no longer have to type it out because it is much easier to put things in print thanks to a program called NaturallySpeaking by nuance, a program that transcribes speech into the printed word. This makes it much easier and faster to get news into print and onto the Internet. No more two finger typing, and no more Karpel tunnel to deal with. No more finicky printing presses to try to keep going when the deadline is quickly approaching. No more paper and no more printers ink to get on your hands and no more vicious paper cuts (That's a little inside Joke) if you know what I mean.

And yes I do believe that several publications can coexist together. Just as there is more than one television station in the area and most of them have happily coexisted for years without any problems. It is my personal opinion that it is not good to have only one viewpoint when it comes to the news. The truth be told there is always two different sides to every news story and I feel it is my obligation to provide a different viewpoint. Some might interpret this as competition, but I don't, I consider it good reporting. After all what one person sees may not be the same as what another sees and enabling our readers to see two different viewpoints is good. Anyway that's the way I see it and some may disagree and that's their choice, but that's what makes life interesting.

Sometimes there are news stories that one of us does not catch and I believe it is our obligation to get those stories out to you the public as quickly as possible. I see the Internet as the wave of the future because there are so many different ways to get the news out to people and that's what it's all about. So keep tuned because this isn't the only place you're going to find the news it is my plan to take advantage of all the other resources on the Internet to get the word out.

News flash QLife magazine ceases publication

2008-12-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

http://www.myspace.com/queerlifenews

On QLife's MySpace website on the right-hand side you will notice that QLife as of December 1 has ceased publication. This is unfortunate because this is one of our communities LGBTQ monthly publications giving us news in the southeastern Wisconsin area. This is unfortunate because earlier this year our glorious Catalyst Committee wanted to place advertising in the Shepherd Express magazine instead of supporting our gay publications. Fortunately through my intervention this did not happen. I realize that this is a bad time of year that jobs are scarce and businesses especially gay ones are probably having trouble trying to keep afloat. It is at this time that we need to support them as much as possible through our financial purchases especially this time of year the Christmas season.

The only publications that are still published in Wisconsin are Quest and Outbound magazine. Quest covers news in both southern and northern Wisconsin. Outbound Magazine is a glossy bar rag which has several gossip columns concentrating mainly on what is happening in the bars and various entertainment venues. As an adjunct to Quest I have decided to resurrect the Wisconsin Light Online as a source of news as it happens. Anyone who has any type of an event that might be happening should contact me through this blog and I will contact you and we will make arrangements to post articles here on this blog.

Give the people the light and they will find their own way

2008-12-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new Wisconsin Light your new online newspaper

I'm sure many of you know that Queer Life Magazine has ceased publication and now there is only one print publication namely the Quest Magazine published out of the Green Bay area and covers the southeastern and northern Wisconsin area. It is my hope to cover local events within the gay and lesbian community here in Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs. I will be looking for people who can contribute to this blog. I'm also looking for people who can take pictures of events that will be happening around our area so that we can include them here. So if anyone is interested please contact me and perhaps we can set something up. Anyone deciding to write articles will be required to use Microsoft Word or OpenOffice (which by the way is free). These articles will be sent to me for editing if necessary. Please leave your contact information in the comment section below these blogs and an e-mail address or telephone number so that I can contact you.

This blog is being dedicated to Jerry Johnson and Terry Boughner the original publishers of the Wisconsin light newspaper. As you may or may not be aware the print publication is very very difficult to do and the costs for print publication can be extremely high and without adequate money coming in longevity of a print newspaper can be rather short. It is my belief that entering the area of cyberspace is the way to go to publish news articles on a timely basis. Many of us don't even get the newspaper because we watch the news on TV where coverage is almost instantaneous. After all why read day-old news when you get it right here and now. And that my dear friends is a motivation for starting the Wisconsin Light Online. Because when I get the news it will be published right away and you get to read it here as it is unfolding, as with all of my other blogs I do not claim to be unbiased but I will try my best to be as accurate as possible keeping my own biases and check. And for those of you who love to get my very biased opinions you can check my blog. Garysdish here on blogspot.

As a side note I was paid a complement by a close friend who mentioned that people read my blogs because I'm just as crazy as Ozzy Osbourne and not afraid to say who I think. I guess you might ask, do I like to rock the boat and my answer to that is yes indeed. It forces people to think about things they don't want to think about and it gets them to do things that they probably wouldn't do otherwise. That is the whole point, don't you agree? I guess you can take that for whatever it's worth. I don't promise anything on Gary's dish because that's the way I am, however here I will try to be as unbiased as possible. Stay tuned, there's more to come. Y'all have a nice day now.