This topic occurred to me after reading Larry Kramer’s long rant in the Huffington Post claiming that because men outnumbered women 6 to 1 in the original Jamestown colony in 17th century America, that lots of gay sex had to be going on, and that historians are erasing gays from history out of homophobic bigotry. … Continue reading “How Will Gender Imbalance Affect China’s Future?”
Jeff Crowley from the president’s Domestic Policy Council met with the board of the NDRN (National Disability Rights Network, formerly NAPAS1) this week and a summary of how Crowley conveyed the administration’s views on the Community Choice Act was leaked to several listserves online. The disability community deserves to know what the thinking inside their … Continue reading “The Latest Leaked Info on Obama Administration’s Views About The Community Choice Act”
The Reality: Sotomayor is a moderate, who sometimes makes liberal decisions that anger conservatives and sometimes makes conservative decisions that anger liberals, like ruling against abortion clinics in the “global gag rule” case, and the loathsome ruling that public schools can punish a student for free speech written on a blog off campus. My beef … Continue reading “Reality Check: Sotomayor NOT “A Radical””
Several weeks ago, I slapped down an idiotic routine from Beck, and now, he’s at it again. This time, he’s making outrageous comments and going completely off the rails about new Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. The rallying cry of the Republicans against Obama’s nominations has been “EMPATHY IS BAD!!!” This from the same … Continue reading “Glenn Beck, in Criticizing Sotomayor, Says Empathy Is BAD, and Cites Bad Misunderstanding of Hebrew Bible”
Sixth “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog from Alejandra Ospina on Vimeo. What Life In An Institution Is Really Like, And Why This Entire Model Should Be Replaced Writer/Director: Nick Dupree Cinematographer: Alejandra Ospina Video put together in Corel VideoStudio by Nick Dupree Full transcript of the video, with links and footnotes This is Nick Dupree for … Continue reading “Sixth “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: What Life In An Institution Is Really Like, And Why This Entire Model Should Be Replaced”
It sounds absurd, right? But that’s what’s been happening with institutions that abuse people with disabilities. First, an example of abuse from my local area: NEW CITY – Frank Zanghi says his blind, deaf son, who uses a wheelchair, was abused when he lived in a facility for the developmentally disabled in New Jersey years … Continue reading “Abuse People, Get Rewarded With More Money??”
Fifth Nick’s Crusade Video Blog: “A Seat At The Table” Determining Health Reform, Doesn’t Include People With Disabilities from Alejandra Ospina on Vimeo. In my fifth video blog, I go after the administration’s health reform deliberations for their lack of inclusiveness. Full transcript of the video, with supporting links and footnotes Hello, this is Nick … Continue reading “Fifth Nick’s Crusade Video Blog: “A Seat At The Table” Determining Health Reform, Doesn’t Include People With Disabilities”
So this is basically how I feel about the insurance industry. “…You tried to kill my brother. Prepare to die.” Years ago, an insurance company did indeed try to kill my younger brother Jamie. The story is basically this: my brother was born with the same disease I have. As soon as he was born, … Continue reading “They Tried To Kill My Brother. Insurance Companies Will Always Put Profits Before Human Life”
As I posted before, Iraq is now killing homosexuals at a startling rate, and since many can’t blend in, are forced into hiding. And three safe houses have now closed for want of funding. PaulCanning forwards an urgent request from IRAQI LGBT: IRAQI LGBT started to establish a network of safe houses inside Iraq in … Continue reading “A Worthy Cause: Helping LGBT Iraqis Who Are Being Chased Down And Executed”
I’ve permanently added the “Nick’s Crusade Statement of Inalienable Rights” to the site, because human rights are the backbone, the underlying premise of everything I post here. It’s a work in progress, so please comment and suggest changes or additions. Nick’s Crusade Statement of Inalienable Rights
Last week, I read about Washington DC’s City Council agreeing to recognize out-of-state gay marriages by a vote 12-1. The Washington Post reported that numerous black churches rallied against the bill, and when it passed, demonstrations turned so loud and angry (near rioting) that the police had to forcibly clear the hallway. Marion Barry, who … Continue reading “Africans: Why The Prevalence Of Anti-Gay Hate?”
When should the word “affect” be used rather than “effect?” Despite my English-Majorness, I’ve never mastered this rule. I understand affect as noun that are refers to someone’s countenance (e.g. “he has a flat affect”) or as a transitive verb meaning “to make a false display of” (e.g. “he began to affect a British accent”) … Continue reading “The “Effect or Affect?” Conundrum”
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! (Paperback) Yes, it’s real! LOL!!
Transcription (as captioned in the video): Hello, this is Nick Dupree for the for the Nick’s Crusade blog. This is my fourth video blog, and today is the 252nd day that I’ve been in an institution because I can’t get access to community services. And it seems that the Obama administration is not going … Continue reading “Fourth “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: ObamaFail! Administration Refuses To Lead On Disability Desegregation”
Patrick A from PunkTorah asked me to comment on parsha Emor, and here’s what I came up with. Everyone please turn to Leviticus 21, kthx. In this week’s parsha, Emor, Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses) tells us about some of the laws regulating kohanim (Temple priests). After the admonition for kohanim to not have contact with corpses, … Continue reading “Leviticus and Disability: My Take”
My last post on swine flu paranoia got some responses. Here’s why I think they are wrong. First, Eric: While I agree with the content of this article, I disagree with the intent. Wearing a mask may not be very helpful in keeping you from catching a disease, but it is quite effective at helping … Continue reading “No, Really, Swine Flu Is Not A Threat”
Nurse: did Alejandra give you this? Me: no, I gave it to Alejandra. Nurse: *props dolphin on my chest* this is Alejandra watching over you. And that’s how I stayed safe Saturday night and slept. That’s my dolphinsafe. Nick
This week, I was interrupted by hospital curfew, and our video work had to stop. Many thanks to Alejandra for stepping up and doing the vlog. I’m glad! — Nick May 3, 2009 Text as transcribed in the video For those of you keeping track, this is Nick’s 248th day of living in a hospital … Continue reading “Third “Nick’s Crusade” Video Blog: Alejandra Guest Vlog On Good Caregivers”
I don’t like Katy Perry. She’s another computerized, autotuned pop singer. And she should she get some sort of penalty, or perma-ban, for actually performing a song called “Ur So Gay” (the actual spelling she used). But I love this cover of Perry’s “Hot and Cold” by this polka influenced Ukrainian band on YouTube. It’s … Continue reading “Los Colorados cover of Katy Perry’s “Hot and Cold””
This post is for Blogging Against Disablism Day, BADD, 2009. As I noted here, ablism (discrimination based on ability) is one of the dumber forms of injustice. It’s dumb because it’s based on falsehoods. Just because someone is in a wheelchair, doesn’t mean they’re deaf or have mental retardation. That man in a wheelchair you … Continue reading “Ablism: Idiotic Comments From Idiots”
This post is for Blogging Against Disablism Day, BADD, 2009. There’s a dark part of America’s past (and present) that few are aware of: government taking children from their families and placing them in institutions. It usually goes like this: doctors and social workers identify a disabled child, and advise the parents to send the … Continue reading “Government-Sponsored Ablism and Segregation Tears Families Apart”
In recent days, I’ve been scouring the HHS email updates for anything of relevance to people with disabilities and our struggle for freedom. Yesterday, HHS put out its Progress Report, “a comprehensive report on the Department’s progress over the first 100 days of the Obama Administration.” (PDF file) It contains NOTHING about long term care, … Continue reading “Nothing About Long-Term Care In HHS Progress Report”