In just one day, I had various individuals from one church festival commit all the major no-nos an able-bodied person can commit. Granted, these grievous acts weren’t all committed by the same person, but the fact that they were committed at all is just damn annoying. It’s a symbol to how little progress has been made in allowing the able-bodied community to understand those of us with disabilities.

I don’t look weird. I’m a chubby guy, with dark hair. I have decent control of my arms…Well, enough to drive my wheelchair around. I don’t appear to be falling out of my wheelchair or any of that fun stuff. I’m just your average guy who happens to sit all the time instead of standing. So, why is it that people not only have to give me “looks” or stare downs, but they have to give me dirty looks?

I can understand when little kids stare at me. I’m used to it and actually, I encourage it. This shows interest in my wheelchair and learning about it. Unfortunately, parents often say things in shushed whispers like “don’t stare at that handicapped person” (did I mention I hate the word handicapped?! – it’s way too outdated) or they yank them away from me like I’m a diseased parasite about to spread my infectious wheelchair-itis onto their precious little one.

This is the perfect opportunity for a lesson in compassion and understanding. If you have a child who is staring at someone in a wheelchair, ask the person in the wheelchair (politely) if your child can ask a question or two. More often than not, the person will say yes. Occasionally, you’ll get someone who is either in a hurry (hey, we have lives, too!) or who is just a jerk. Don’t chalk it up to the behavior of all of us. If I have the time, I’d gladly answer questions from an inquisitive kid instead of letting their parents assume why I’m in a wheelchair or letting a parent give them the wrong information about people in wheelchairs.

For those who wish to tell their children about people in wheelchairs themselves or for those who aren’t kids, but still like to stare, here is a guide of dos and don’ts in relation to how those of us in wheelchairs like to be treated.

Don’t Use Me as an Arm-Rest – I am not your leaning post. I was relaxing in the shade at the hot festival when I felt pressure on my handle-bars. Yes, that pressure moves my entire chair. Come to find out, some yahoo I don’t even know was resting themselves on my wheelchair, all propped up against it. Let’s just say they weren’t exactly thrilled when I moved forward and they almost fell on their face.

My wheelchair is pretty much an extension of “my” body. You wouldn’t let anyone lean on your shoulders, especially if you didn’t know them. I don’t like people touching my wheelchair because not only is it a part of me, it’s also an expensive piece of equipment. If you lean on the wrong part of my wheelchair it will break, and you can guarantee I’ll be sending the bill to whoever broke the chair.

Don’t Point your Finger at Me! – I mean c’mon! You don’t like being pointed at either. It’s bad enough you have to be staring at me, but do you have to point? On the other hand, now everyone knows you’re being ignorant and somewhat prejudice, because they’ll see you pointing at me, too. So, go ahead. Make yourself look bad.

Don’t Kick, Hit or Throw Things at My Wheelchair – Some kids, not much younger than my son (he’s 13), decided to walk by my chair. We were sitting in the dining tent, eating our meal when the little jerks walked by and one of them gave the bottom of my wheelchair a sharp kick. Had I not had a mouthful of food, I’d have given the little shits an earful!

Honestly, how would you feel if I kicked you? They were stupid too, because as they walked by one kid said “kick the wheelchair” and then they began laughing like little gremlins. As if I hadn’t realized they gave my $20,000 wheelchair a massively hard kick. I’d have liked to present their mom with that bill had they messed up my battery, which is located right near where they kicked.

Seriously though, kicking wheelchairs is just rude and downright disrespectful. I’d punish my son with one heck of a grounding and some disability sensitivity training if I knew he was responsible for kicking someone’s wheelchair or other medical equipment.

Don’t Walk in Front of Me like I’m not There – For your sake, watch where you’re walking. I only yield for small children. They know not what they do and will walk in front of anyone, whether they are in a wheelchair or not. I will hit you if you are rude enough to step in front of my wheelchair, and when you bitch about me hitting you, I’ll explain how you don’t walk in front of people in wheelchairs, as if they don’t exist. By then, you’re the one who is looking pretty dumb and I’ve seen more embarrassed folks huff off then push the issue, all because they were in such a hurry they had to be rude.

Don’t Stare if you’re an Adult – I’m not an alien. I’m a human being. Think about how you’d feel if people stared at you. Nobody likes to be stared at, so if you have a question, don’t be a wuss. Just ask it! I give people credit for asking why I’m in a chair and how long I’ve been in it. At least they’re trying to learn how to be more understanding and about someone in a different life situation than them. If you can’t ask then don’t look at me at all, because if I see you staring, I’m liable to come up to you and ask about your staring problem! That’s more embarrassing then having to ask any question you have, for sure.

Don’t Tell Me you’re Praying for Me – Why would you go up to a stranger and say that? Just because I’m in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I need or want your prayers. I may not even be the same religion as you. If I want prayers, I’ll send out a Myspace memo to all my friends. Otherwise, I just want to enjoy my time wherever I am (in this case, the festival).

Don’t Say Stupid Things – I’ve heard them all like “bless your little heart” or “wow, look at how well he gets around”. Well, of course I get around. I have a wheelchair. I’m not two, so don’t treat me like I’m a baby. I don’t need your little looks of pity, stupid consoling responses, or obviously prejudicial, yet you think it is okay to say them, remarks.

Do Introduce Yourself – I like to meet new people. Feel free to say hi, tell me your name and ask mine. I always like meeting new people and I’m far more approachable when I’m introduced to someone, as opposed to meeting them when they kick my wheelchair or are busy staring at me.

I’m in a wheelchair, but I’m just like everyone else. I went to the festival to watch my son ride the rides I enjoyed when I was his age. I went to walk (wheel) around with my girlfriend, and get away from work for a short time. I went to enjoy yummy, festival food and fresh squeezed lemonade. I didn’t go to have you stare, say stupid things, kick me or use me as your leaning post. So, just don’t do it!

Technorati Tags: wheelchair, rude people, festivals, fairs, dos, donts, staring, kicking

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Strangely enough, the cause for this might just be a biological one. One theory is that those of us who are transgendered are the way we are because in utero (while in the womb), we were exposed to different hormones than we should have been. A transgendered MTF (male to female) might have been exposed to more estrogen and/or androgen while an FTM (female to male) might have been exposed to more testosterone and/or androgen.

It is an interesting theory, especially considering the fact that the ob/gyn who spent her time examining me, in the womb for nine months, swore I was a boy. I was being carried like a boy. Everything appeared as though I were going to be born a boy. With as much experience as she had (having delivered hundreds of babies) she was seldom wrong and quite shocked when I came out a girl.

You see, I was born believing I had to act like a female because biologically I was one. I later realized that all of the feelings of discontent came from my being perceived as something I was not. To me, I was just one of the boys. Most of my close friends were other boys and I liked doing things most boys did. As an adult, I’ve taken the steps to become a man. This involves a lot of dedication. There is the legal aspect (name change and all that comes with it, change of gender on important documents), the physical aspect (dressing, cutting my hair, surgery and embodying the male persona) and the hormonal aspect (regular shots of testosterone). There is also the psychological aspect. I have to be deemed sane enough to be on hormones and have surgery. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have qualified.

Now that I’ve explained a little bit about being transgendered let me say that I’ve been with my girlfriend/partner, Ashtyn (a biological female), for going on six years. We have one son who is 13. He is my girlfriend’s biological son, but I’m the only dad he knows. We see ourselves as just another family. We spend time together. We do fun things. We love each other. We plan to someday have more kids.

The problem is, its hard to fit in anywhere. Sometimes, gay and lesbian families don’t really see us as a family they can relate to, and we’ve unfortunately been shunned. It doesn’t happen often, but it has. They see us as a male-female household so finding a place in the GLBT community has been trying. By the same token, we’re treated much worse by families who see us as non-traditional. I wasn’t born a male so I can say I am male, but that will never make it true (according to them). I don’t agree with this, but it has made it hard for our son to find friends. Nobody wants to be friends with the kid who has a transgendered dad.

Luckily, we’ve found some great resources like COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere), which has a COLAGE Trans group. My son has been able to meet other kids who have transgendered parents. Some are his age, some are older, and some are younger. He’s been able to forge friendships he never would have if it weren’t for COLAGE.

Ultimately, tolerance will come from knowledge. People understand what being transgendered is even less than they understand gay and lesbian. Just for reference, I’ve never performed on stage in drag, I don’t often wear leather, I rarely hang out at bars, and I don’t make men suits (ala Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs). I’ve never been considered or classified mentally ill and I am not one to follow a crowd, just to be cool. I just am who I am and my family accepts me. That’s truly all that matters.

Technorati Tags: LGBT families, transgendered, blogging, Dominick, normal Family, Ashtyn, children, kids, Pride Month

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This comes on the heels of last week’s Newsweek report, which revealed that since 1998 PETA had killed, “more than 17,000 animals, nearly 85 percent of all those it has rescued.”

Not counting animals PETA held only temporarily in its spay-neuter program, the organization took in 1,997 “companion animals” during 2007, of which it killed 1,815. According to Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the average euthanasia rate for humane societies in the state was just 36.2 percent in 2007. PETA killed 90.9 percent of the animals it took in.

“Pet lovers should be outraged,” said CCF Director of Research David Martosko. “There are thousands of worthwhile animal-welfare organizations that deserve the support of compassionate Americans. PETA is not one of them. This is the kind of cold, heartless behavior that would draw a naked PETA protest if anyone else were doing it.”

In January, CCF petitioned VDACS to consider officially reclassifying PETA as a “slaughterhouse” instead of a “humane society” and an animal “releasing agency.” VDACS Commissioner Todd Haymore responded in a January 25, 2008 letter that while PETA’s rate of killing animals is “extremely high,” the state’s laws “do not provide the authority for [VDACS] to ’strip’ PETA of its designation as a ‘humane society’ or ‘releasing agency.’”

“It’s horribly ironic that PETA kills so many animals” Martosko added. “PETA raised over $30 million last year, and it’s using that money to kill the only flesh-and-blood animals its employees actually see. The scale of PETA’s hypocrisy is simply staggering.”

Learn more about PETA’s hypocrisy at www.petakillsanimals.com

Technorati Tags: PETA, Animals, Animal Rights, Murder, Companion Pets, Dogs, Cats, Humane Society, Slaughter House, PETA Kills Animals

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Last Thursday, the progeny of the rich and famous on Rock the Cradle had to sing a song that defined themselves. Chloe Lattanzi just happened to pick the song “Freak on a Leash”. We already know she’s a freak who likes to fill her lips with so much collagen I fear they will explode. She also had that anorexia thing going on and I seem to feel like she lost weight everywhere, but in her lips. Either way, she didn’t have to tell us something we already knew and ruin a perfectly good Korn song in the process.

You can check out her off key, screechy, overly bad performance here.

Some of her tone deaf fans say that Chloe’s singing style is “Goth Porn”. I tend to feel it’s more torture porn. It doesn’t matter what she sings, she tries to get votes by humping the stage. It’s just downright disturbing! I wouldn’t want to see her mom humping anything and at least her mom is kind of cute. Chloe didn’t get her looks or talent that’s for sure!

Technorati Tags: Chloe Lattanzi, torture porn, Freak on a Leash, Rock the Cradle, MTV, progeny, Olivia Newton John, wannabe, singer

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The good news is that Carly took it like a champ and refused to cry. She showed America what they would be missing and went out with a bang. The other good news is that she shouldn’t have any problem getting a record contract after this. I cannot wait until that happens because I look forward to picking up her CD when it hits shelves.

Rather than complain about the obvious I am going to end this with a couple of Carly’s best performances.

Carly, if you’re reading this….I am a fan and you will be missed.

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Carly Smithson, Come Together, Here You Come Again, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Singing, Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Votes, Best Performances

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That being said, I should tell you I’m wheelchair bound. I have been since I was 16. Before then, I used a scooter to get around and walked with a limp. I should also add this is going to be a discussion of something that is quite graphic and mature in nature. I’m warning anyone under 18 to stop reading and turn away now. You have plenty of time to worry about subjects like this after you become an adult.

I don’t know if I like calling this a phenomenon because there is nothing phenomenal about it, but for lack of a better word I’ve called it that. Ultimately, it’s a craze that only certain people seem to be going through and it’s becoming a big thing on the internet, with support sites for these psycho-sickos popping up around the net. A doctor called the three groups Devotees, Pretenders and Wannabes. There’s a whole group of these lunatics and I don’t know which group of the three is the most disgusting. All of them are suffering from severe paraphelias. Of course, no excuses should be made. Pedophilia is a severe form of paraphelia and it’s downright disturbing. Likewise, the DPW movement is equally as disgusting.

Next to children, who is one of society’s most vulnerable groups? It is a pretty good and accurate guess to say those with disabilities. Being a person with a disability, I’d have to say, in many instances, this is sadly the truth. A lot of this is because folks with disabilities have few governmental protections and not as many opportunities to flourish. Sure, many of us are smart enough to overcome our disabilities when given the right resources, but those aren’t always out there, so in many instances, we are left vulnerable.

Like children, who must fear pedophiles, those of us with disabilities must fear DPWs. They are predators who get sexual satisfaction and pleasure from being deranged assholes. I don’t know any other, nicer way to put it. You could argue, oh these people are sick. Yeah, Ted Bundy was sick, too. Sick in the head, but we still wanted him to go to prison and die. Still, there is no punishment for DPWs because by governmental laws, they aren’t doing anything wrong.

First, let me explain what the Devotees are. These are people who are sexually attracted to disabilities. And no, they aren’t attracted to the people with the disability quite as much as they are the disability itself, the assistive devices used by the disabled person, etc. It’s actually quite disgusting because these people will date disabled individuals not because they like them, but because it turns them on to see them walk, to feel their braces or wheelchair, or to watch their limp. Sometimes, these devotees can’t even technically orgasm with the disabled person (while having sex). They have to go in the other room and masturbate while thinking about the person’s disability or their assistive devices (canes, wheelchairs, braces, or the like).

I should make it clear that just because someone dates or marries a person in a wheelchair, this does not make them a Devotee. Most of the people, who do date/marry people with disabilities, are normal, healthy individuals. The difference between them and Devotees is that Devotees get pleasure from the disability not the person. The average person dates someone in a wheelchair because they like the person. They can see past the disability. I know my girlfriend has never dated anyone with a disability before me. She would rather have me out of my wheelchair and walking then keep me in there.

There was a case of a Devotee who ended up marrying a man with crutches and braces on his legs. It only took a day or so before she was no longer attracted to him, but she was forever attracted to the braces he wore. She would have obligatory sex with him once a week or month depending on her job, which had her traveling a lot. She got more pleasure from getting herself off and thinking about his crutches then spending time with him. I feel terribly bad for the guy who thought his wife liked him for him, while hiding her true desires. After some time and further diagnosis, her husband went into a wheelchair full time. Selfishly, his wife began to loathe him, because how dare he take away the limp she loved so much and those “beautiful” braces and crutches?

The Pretenders are an interesting group. I like to call them the liars. It seems to suit them better. They are even worse than the Devotees if you can believe that. The Pretenders do exactly what their name says. They get enjoyment in pretending to be disabled. I’m not joking. Not only can able-bodied people begin to question the authenticity of a person’s disability, they put constant scrutiny on those of us who are really disabled. What if we are Pretenders, too? I can go get a letter from my doctor to confirm my disability, but who is really going to carry that letter around with them? That’d be a major pain in the rear.

Needless to say, the woman I mentioned previously was a Pretender, as well as being a Devotee. When she would go away on business trips she’d rent a wheelchair. Then she’d go around to the malls in the area (after work) and drag herself in and out of her car, into the wheelchair she rented and then she’d wheel around the mall. It turned her on to have others watch her move her ‘gimp’ legs by lifting them with her hands and acting like they were paralyzed.

She was sexually aroused by the thought of other disabled people watching her wheel around and pretend to be just like them. She desired for them to accept her into their fold. She wanted them to accept her. It’s a little too twisted and warped for my logical brain to comprehend, but then I’m not deranged enough to want to have my disability. I’d gladly be a walker again if I could.

I will say I once encountered a Pretender online. I’ve even been accused of being a Pretender myself. That is, until the woman met me and realized it was true. I was in a wheelchair. The internet has given Pretenders a place to be Pretenders in their anonymity. The internet has also caused damage to those of us with disabilities because Pretenders have led others to stop trusting those of us who are telling the truth about ourselves and our disabilities. It’s sick to think that all of the disability communities online could have at least one or two Pretenders on it, trying to get “understanding” and “acceptance” from those of us who are disabled. It makes me cautious of those I meet online who claim to be disabled. How do I know they really are and how can I trust them?

The Pretender I met used to go to a chat site I hung out at. I’ve never been one to hide my disability online or off. I’ve always tried to be an advocate for the community and spread the message that being disabled doesn’t mean you’re broken or incapable of living a fulfilling life. This person told me they were in a wheelchair. We bonded because we shared the common thread of both being in wheelchairs. Eventually, a mutual friend who had met her in real life confessed to me that the Pretender was lying. She wasn’t in a wheelchair nor had she been in a wheelchair. It was hurtful since I’d shared disability horror stories with her and opened up to her about life with a disability only to find out she was lying. Now I’m much more cautious about who I trust when it comes to disability matters online.

After confronting the Pretender, she told me how envious she was of me. She wished she was in a wheelchair, too. She wished she couldn’t walk, as well. Her lying pretty much ended our friendship and made me fearful of her mental state. This actually leads quite well into the Wannabes. You see, the Pretender I met in an online chat room wasn’t just a Pretender. She was a Wannabe. This last group in the DPW triad are the scariest group, at least in terms of the lengths they’ll go to become true, disabled individuals.

I first heard of the Wannabes online in a television expose about a woman who had gone so far as to make her legs paralyzed so they would have to be amputated. It was a television show, that I watched online, which showed a bunch of Wannabes. I can’t remember all of the specific individuals on the show, but I do remember the various methods used to make each Wannabe’s legs immobile. The one woman had wrapped her legs, and bound them cutting off circulation on a continuous basis. Eventually, the binding was so tight and harmful her legs became dead. They ended up having to amputate both legs. There was another man who was so desperate to become an amputee he cut off part of his own leg, to the point where he had to be rushed to the hospital and have it cut off.

Another story of a Wannabe can be found on the internet. This story gave me the chills and not in a good way. This man was so desperate to become disabled he placed his legs in dry ice. This killed the cells and destroyed his legs to the point where he needed an amputation. At first, I couldn’t believe this was true, but there is a whole group of sick individuals who believe their legs do not belong on their bodies.

They believe they should be disabled. They want to join those of us who are disabled, like being in a wheelchair is some elite club. While those of us in wheelchairs work so hard to find a cure to get out of our chairs, these fuck nuts make themselves disabled because its cool. It’s what they always wanted. Until they became disabled they were “never whole”. That’s their story and reasoning and once they get into their wheelchairs, it makes them feel good and proud to be disabled.

Deep down, I know, they aren’t truly disabled. They aren’t deserving of the title of “person with a disability”. I don’t accept them into my community because they aren’t helping it out. They’re causing irreparable harm to it, themselves, and their families. The DPWs are fakers, liars, deranged, worthless, hopeless, messed up, jerk off, losers. I want nothing to do with them and I can only hope those of you reading this feel the same way.

If you can do anything, for those of us who truly are people with disabilities, please don’t pity Devotees, Pretenders and Wannabes. Educate yourself and others about this disturbing trend in society. Educate yourself and your family about them the way you would pedophiles. They are just as bad and nearly as dangerous. They are lying to people, pretending to like people in wheelchairs, and harming themselves while making excuses for their actions. These people HAVE NO EXCUSES.

So, their Daddy or Mom didn’t love them. My Mom treated me like shit. I got over it and moved on. I’m not out trying to make myself more disabled. My girlfriend’s dad is an alky who she told to get out of her life when she was four because she knew his drinking was bad. She’s pretty certain he didn’t love her enough since he’s still out boozing. I can assure you she isn’t sticking her legs in dry ice or trying to make sweet love to my wheelchair while I’m not looking. So, they had a crappy life. Okay, let’s make it a little harder by joining a minority group that isn’t really protected by the government and faces oppression daily. That makes loads of sense.

Just an FYI. Going back to the Pretenders for just a second, I wanted to give you all some advice for tips on how to know if someone is a Pretender or not, especially online. I would say photographs would be one of the easiest ways to find out if someone was a Pretender, but sadly, the Pretender I knew stole someone’s picture (a random picture of someone in a wheelchair they found on Google) and tried to pass it off as her.

I would say multiple photos with someone in a wheelchair, who you can tell is the same person in all of them, is a pretty good indicator they are telling the truth. My Myspace has pics of me both walking (before 16) and not walking. You can clearly make out the back of my wheelchair and the headrest in at least two different pictures and you can see I look similar in each picture. Remember, not everyone is so trusting so don’t just assume a person who says they are in a wheelchair is pretending because they won’t show you a picture. Eventually, if you become long term friends, they will share some photos and you will be able to tell.

If the person seems knowledgeable about their disability then chances are they are disabled. The Pretender I knew wouldn’t talk about her supposed “accident”. Most people I know who are paralyzed will mention how they got hurt. It is sensitive to talk about though, so they might not be so keen to talk about it more than to say I fell off a horse, got in a car accident or even I got shot. I actually had a good friend at Wright State University who got shot and was paralyzed from the neck down so it’s really not outlandish to believe. By the way, if someone in a wheelchair says they went to or are going to Wright State or Berkeley (two of the most wheelchair accessible schools in the U.S.) then they are probably telling the truth. In many cases, Pretenders don’t do their research so unless they read this article (which who knows, they might) they wouldn’t know Wright State for sure since it’s not one of Ohio’s biggest schools and is only really known by many nationwide for its disability program if the people are disabled themselves. Of course, I know many in wheelchairs who go to plenty of other schools whether they are overly accessible or not, so don’t assume because they don’t go to these two schools that they are a Pretender.

When it comes to a disability someone is born with then you can bet they are an expert on the disability. If someone says they have MD, but can’t tell you what type, be cautious. There are over 40 different types and I’ve never met one person with MD (and trust me, I know many through the Internet and MDA Camp) who didn’t know their type, if only in name. I can tell you so much about SMA and how it’s progressed for me, I’m either a doctor researching and treating SMA or I’m a patient. Look for clues that tell you the person is lying and chances are you’ll catch the Pretender in a lie.

I’ve digressed quite a bit from my original point, but I felt it quite important to tell everyone reading this how to avoid Pretenders merely because it is becoming a problem that affects more than just the Pretenders and their victims (the people they fool into believing them). My point in writing this was to make you all aware of DPWs. I want you to know who and what they are. I want them to know lying doesn’t get them anywhere and those of us in the disabled community will never accept them.

If you are a Devotee, Pretender or Wannabe, seek medical assistance immediately. Your behavior is not normal. You need help. Your lies only make those of us with disabilities dislike you because you gave up what we wish we had, on purpose. Having a disability is hard. It isn’t fun. We do what we do to live our lives, but you just harm our efforts by trying to fit in with a group in which you don’t and won’t ever belong. I’m not one to exclude anyone, but on this issue I have to put my foot down and hopefully I’m not alone in this.

Technorati Tags: Disability, Unacceptance, Disgusting, Devotees, Wannabes, Pretenders, paraphelia, sexual desire, pedophiles, opinion

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Randy always says, when you can sing, you can sing anything. David Archuleta can sing. His performance was similar to all of the others he has performed since being selected for Idol. It was good and he definitely has what it takes to be a contender until the end. Still, I would like to see something new from him. When you consider that it’s all about the singing, there was no way I could put him in my least favorites because even though this was not entirely memorable he definitely hit all the right notes.

I loved how Andrew Lloyd Weber corrected Carly’s song choice and I love even more that she listened to him. Her song choice was excellent and she sounded better than ever. Carly definitely has one of the best vocal abilities on the show. It would be a travesty to see her go home at this stage. If it was up to me, which it’s not (or at least not entirely) she would end up being one of the final three.

As usual, David Cook stole the show. He manages to be the sexiest performer with the best range and ability on a consistent basis. I have to admit, I never saw this one coming. It’s so easy to see him as that vibrant rock star with the occasional inspirational message, but last night every woman was the only woman in the world and he was singing right to her. That was not the most impressive thing of his performance. The most impressive thing dealt with his voice. I did not expect him to be able to pull off a song like that. Not only did he pull it off, he gained a newfound respect from Mr. Musical Theatre (aka Dominick) and has made me firmly believe that he might just win the whole thing.

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Carly Smithson, David Archuleta, David Cook, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Singing, Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Votes, Best Performances

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At this stage in the competition it’s really time to weed out the losers and let the potential winners do their thing. The winners are becoming more and more obvious every day. I don’t think at this stage there is any question of who will be left standing at the end of the competition. The question will be which order the remaining four go home in. Last night may have changed the order I was expecting just a little bit, which I will explain in a minute. For now, let’s look at my picks for the bottom three performances last night.

These are in no uncertain order at this point, but here they are nonetheless.

The judges all raved that Syesha had such a musical theatre persona and if that’s truly the case then it’s one more reason that she doesn’t belong on American Idol. While she might have done well this week (I don’t think she was all that hot, but…) in the past she has bombed repeatedly. Her booming voice either comes off as shrieking or screaming and she is too over-confident (nobody loves Syesha quite as much as she loves herself), without cause. I know she went for the sexy thing and it caught people’s attention but that didn’t make it good. Looking at the others on stage she is running out of hot air and one semi-decent performance along with a sea of mediocre ones just means that her weeks are numbered. I don’t think she will go home this week, but within the next two weeks I predict she will be gone.

I like Brooke. I really do like her. Before yesterday’s performance I had her coined to go home in two weeks. However, now I’m not so sure. She lost her words and that obviously frightened her. Starting over was the brave and admirable thing to do, but once she did her confidence was shot and her voice seemed strained. I don’t think one bad performance should be the cause of her going home, but I fear this may do the trick for dear Brooke White. I think she’s has a good chance of getting a deal, most of them do, really, but it’s sad to see her go on what could have been an okay night for her had the word memory problem not cropped up.

This wasn’t his best performance. Then again, it wasn’t his worst. The problem is that he was so far out of his element that it was uncomfortable to watch. I just don’t get why Jason was even ever a part of this competition to begin with. Sure he’s unusual, which always makes for a good choice, but in the end, there were plenty of better or more suitable options for American Idol. I have been thinking he would be going home for a few weeks. Now is as good a time as any. I am pretty sure that if he doesn’t go tonight then it will be Brooke. Any way you look at it he doesn’t have more than a week or two, at most, left in him.

Technorati Tags: American Idol, Syesha, Jason Castro, Brooke White, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Singing, Music, Evita, Votes, Worst Performances

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1. First it’s the gays then it will be the horses, dogs, and farm animals - Naturally, everyone knows that if we let a gay man marry a man or a lesbian couple get married it will lead to animal lovers marrying chickens, dogs, and who knows what else. Therefore, by not allowing gay marriage we are doing our world duty to stop bestiality.

2. Incest will become common place – While bestiality would certainly be bad enough, it is necessary to never allow gay marriage because of the possibility that siblings and relatives will take it as their opportunity to get their equal rights. Gone will be the days of sharing family bathing time. Instead they will want equal rights to share their love in public, too, and it will be our fault because it all started with the gays.

3. Marriage is a sacred right between a man and woman – Everyone knows that in the U.S. marriage has always been between a man and a woman. Ignore the fact that this particular brand of marriage is a Christian concept and not all people, American or otherwise, are Christian. It simply should not matter. The point is the U.S. has never allowed it (just like blacks and whites could not get married) and we should not allow it now!

4. Homosexuality is unnatural – If it doesn’t happen in nature it should not happen with humans. Gay marriage is an agenda set to ruin society as we know it. If there are not gay penguins, gay whales, gay vultures, chimps, or other animals then there cannot logically be gay men or women.

5. If gays can marry they will have kids and they will make more gay people – Naturally, gay people will make their kids gay. Gay people are really just straight because their parents were straight, but they are pretending to be gay because they must really hate their parents. However, this façade will create real gay people when they raise these kids. Unless, of course, the kids hate their parents enough to pretend to be straight…then they will have the last laugh.

6. Gay marriage removes the validity of straight marriage – Marriage is an institution to be taken absolutely seriously. Gay people switch partners too much, thinking they are in love and then soon realize they are not. This would create higher levels of divorce which are unnecessary. Now if they could take marriage as seriously as Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman (5 months), Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage (3 ½ months), Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Thomas (1 month), Cher and Gregg Allman (9 Days), Dennis Hopper and Michelle Phillips (8 days) and Britney Spears and Jason Alexander (married for a lifetime known as 55 minutes) then maybe we could allow it, but until we are certain their commitments are strong it would be considered wrong.

7. Gay marriage is a sin according to God – I am sure that I don’t need to translate all of the parts of the Bible to you that state that homosexuality is a sin. (Please ignore that there was not a word for homosexuality in Greece when the Bible was written and that male bonding was a common practice among men). That being said, we have never allowed shaving our beards, cutting our hair, eating shellfish or pork, so how on earth can you expect us to forgive the biggest non-documented sin of all?

8. The foundation of traditional marriage is unshakable and should not be changed – There have always been steadfast rules to marriage, many of which have been based on biblical admissions and prophecies that allow us to live in a Godly manner. For example, women are still property and forced to obey the men they marry, men are able to marry more than one woman, and blacks are not able to marry whites, because that would be a sin just as gay marriage is.

9. If gay marriages are allowed, schools will teach that in sex education, and we all know how damaging that can be – If schools have to teach the fact that nothing is wrong with homosexuality then kids will assume that it is okay to try such harmful activities. As you know, this will lead to things like kids having sex younger and younger, including children giving oral sex as young as 6th grade. On the bright side, teen pregnancy would naturally go down and fewer babies would be thrown in dumpsters because when everyone becomes gay in high school they won’t have to worry about getting someone pregnant or finding ways to get rid of the baby.

10. Gay marriage leads to polygamy – While polygamy was once normal, and in some cultures still is, the rise of gay marriages would bring the practice back as if it were a fetish. Naturally, if gay men cannot decide on one lover, instead of looking like a slouch they will just marry all of their lovers! This will make them appear committed, even if it is to 50 husbands at once.

11. Homosexual sensitivity training will be required for all government workers and caregivers – If we say that it is okay to be homosexual then that means all teachers, caregivers, and government workers will have to stop being prejudice. They will have to learn and understand that gay people are people, too and will have to treat them like humans. This is just completely unreasonable, especially if they choose to believe that they are not people, but instead, aliens or something else that is not human. These workers should be able to discriminate as they see fit, but gay marriage really ruins all that for them.

12. If gays are allowed equal rights it will cost the government more money – Think of all the added money they will have to pay in giving homosexual spouses the rights they deserve by not cheating them out of their husband/wives social security money. They will have to give money to the children of a parent that dies even though the other homosexual parent will be alive to take care of the children. Naturally, we should penalize the children and spouses and keep this money for more important things like fighting wars and inflating the paychecks of politicians.

Technorati Tags: Homosexuality, Gay, Lesbian, Marriage, Equality, Children, Polygamy, Bestiality

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They both have new albums they are working on (I am guessing one will be more successful than the other…again) and they both recently came back to AI to perform live. The performances are both below. The question is…who do you think performed better?

Katherine McPhee sang during the first Beatles Week.

Kelly graced the stage with her presence the following week.

Tell us what you think. Who was better: Katherine McPhee or Kelly Pickler? Leave us a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Technorati Tags: Kelly Pickler, Katherine McPhee, American Idol, Season Five, Season Seven, Live Performance, The Beatles, Something, Red High Heels

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