The Best Damn Newsletter in NJ™!
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The Newsletter of the Gay Activist Alliance in Morris County Serving New Jersey’s GLBTI Communities Since 1972 Volume 41, Issue 3, Summer 2015
Power in Forgiveness by Sherri Rase I sit to write this just a few days after the tragic shoot- his mayhem. Emanuel AME Church dates back nearly ing at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 200 years and most recently has been a critical meeting Charleston, South Carolina. Dylann Roof, a just- place during the (currently ongoing) struggle for civil turned-21-year-old white male took his birthday mon- rights. This shooting is a reminder that for some who ey and bought a follow the Bible, the Old Testament is still alive. From gun. He filled his my perspective, Holy War is Wholly Chaos and just as Facebook page the Old Testament is superseded by the New Testament, with racist, inthose who call themselves Christians should be mindful flammatory rhetof what Christ actually taught -- forgiveness and peace. oric, took his gun to a Wednesday When we look at the spirituality of different cultures, evening prayer the singular emergent purpose is to create peace in meeting with a the world by looking after one’s neighbor. We are all little over a dozen the same. We need air to breathe, a roof over our people in attendheads, and safety and food for our families. Reach out ance, and sat to your fellows in the community. If there is not a there for an hour community, build one. Be the leader you wish you during that meeting. Then he opened fire, killing six had, is what Simon Sinek says, and I wholly agree. women and three men, one of whom was the pastor of the church. This is a Join me. Join hands. Join tragedy for the families of GAAMC. Do good works Inside Challenge those killed and wounded, Challenge Information ........................... page 2 and be part of a tiny splash as well as a tragedy for a GAAMC Events for July/August ............ page 2 that makes lasting ripples. youth fueled by hatred. Be proud. Be connected. Gleanings -- Queer news from around When we step out of the world ............................................... page 3 Rodgers and Hammerstein July/August Q-munity Calendar – LGBT where we’re comfortable, events in and around New Jersey ....... page 4 tell us in “You’ve Got to Be that’s where we grow. GAAMC Board Meeting Minutes............ page7 Taught”. We are taught haLet’s grow. Together. What Makes a Woman? ........................ page 10 tred. We are taught fear. Dylann Roof chose a most The Theatre Bear Reviews… ................ page 11 historic church to commit Reflections on the Supreme Court’s Decision ............................................... page 12 The Soapbox: A Trans Awareness Expansion............................................ page 12 GAAMC Information ............................ page 14