Another gay teen ends his life over bullying. 'Please help me mom' were his last words

Phillip Parker, 14, was found dead last week after what his parents say was a year of bullying he suffered because he was gay. Read about it here.

This makes me sad and furious.

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Breaking news: we now have the votes needed in the Washington state senate to pass marriage equality. Kudos to everyone including our LGBT advocates at Microsoft

Another blue state is about to say "yes" to marriage equality. Read about it here.

A Buddhist "life jacket": "be present" and "willing to love"

Whatever your difficulties—a devastated heart, financial loss, feeling assaulted by the conflicts around you, or a seemingly hopeless illness—you can always remember that you are free in every moment to set the compass of your heart to your highest intentions. In fact, the two things that you are always free to do—despite your circumstances—are to be present and to be willing to love.

--Jack Kornfield

via Tricycle.com

Watch this: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is leaving for Congress for now. Before & after the shooting, she has been impressive. I hope she returns as Senator Giffords one day

American beauty

This strikingly handsome heroic image was taken by Horace Bristol, while he was covering the Pacific theater in World War II. This naked GI is photographed while standing guard by his gun, on a U.S. seaplane, during a rescue mission. Here is Bristol's story of this photo:

“…we got a call to pick up an airman who was down in the Bay. The Japanese were shooting at him from the island, and when they saw us they started shooting at us. The man who was shot down was temporarily blinded, so one of our crew stripped off his clothes and jumped in to bring him aboard. He couldn’t have swum very well wearing his boots and clothes. As soon as we could, we took off. We weren’t waiting around for anybody to put on formal clothes. We were being shot at and wanted to get the hell out of there. The naked man got back into his position at his gun in the blister of the plane.”

Recommended action: contact these undecided WA State senators and urge them to vote in favor of marriage equality. They begin debating the bill today

Here is the rundown of the undecided state senators, via The Stranger:

Mary Margaret Haugen, D-10
At a recent appearance at a Whidbey Island senior center, Senator Mary Margaret Haugen was confronted by a roomful of aging constituents over her squirrelly nonposition on marriage equality. "I'm listening to all sides and keeping an open mind," Haugen said in a statement afterward, explaining that she is currently undecided. "I feel the best option is to send it to the voters on a referendum, but I'm still hearing from constituents and I want them to have full opportunity to make their views known." Here's what's so maddeningly squirrelly about this: No one's talking about denying Washingtonians the right to vote on marriage equality. In fact, if marriage equality passes the legislature this year, irate, knuckle-dragging religious conservatives are certain to put the issue up for a vote of the people in November by running a referendum. The question right now: Where does Haugen, 70, stand? She voted for the historic "everything but marriage" domestic partnership bill in 2009. She's almost there for marriage. But not quite—not yet.
Contact: 360-786-7618 or marymargaret.haugen@leg.wa.gov

Joe Fain, R-47
This 31-year-old senator represents the Auburn, Covington, and Black Diamond areas southeast of Seattle. (And what does a 31-year-old guy do late at night in Auburn? Stay up undecided, apparently.) Silver lining: While Fain's territory is not the most liberal in the state, it's hardly the most conservative, either. Elected in 2010, he's never had to vote on any of the domestic-partnership bills that passed from 2007 to 2009, so his position on rights for same-sex couples is untested. Which means there's hope. Fain got his start in politics as a staffer at the King County Council, and he styles himself as a moderate Republican in the mold of King County Council member Reagan Dunn. Worth mentioning to Fain: Dunn recently came out in favor of marriage equality. (Also worth mentioning: Being a 31-year-old against marriage equality is demographic treason.)
Contact: 360-786-7692 or joe.fain@leg.wa.gov

Brian Hatfield, D-19
Hatfield is a Democrat, true, but he represents the conservative southwest Washington areas surrounding Long Beach and Westport, as well as the city of Longview. He was one of the few Democrats to vote against "everything but marriage" in 2009. On the other hand, Hatfield, 45, potentially has quite a few years of public service ahead of him—a long time to be known as the guy who was on the wrong side of history. (And guys on the wrong side of history never get out of Longview, Brian.) You'd think that would be convincing enough, but apparently he still needs some convincing.
Contact: 360-786-7636 or brian.hatfield@leg.wa.gov

Andy Hill, R-45
This 49-year-old, lung-cancer surviving, Harvard-educated former Microsoft program manager represents Microsoft's Eastside district. To give you an idea of just how moderate his constituents are: Lefty drug reformer Roger Goodman represents them in the house. (Goodman is a guaranteed yes vote and isn't afraid of any push-back when he runs for reelection this year.) So if Hill knows what's good for him, he'll vote yes. But as of now, he's hunkered down, vascillating—dirty!—at some undisclosed Redmond-area location.
Contact: 360-786-7672 or andy.hill@leg.wa.gov

Paull Shin, D-21
"He hasn't made any public statement on whether he is for or against it," Shin's office tells The Stranger. "He's weighing in with the constituents." The rumored issue for the man who represents Edmonds and voted no on "everything but marriage" in 2009: his Mormon faith. Not an issue, but weird to people who don't know about his remarkable backstory: Shin, 76, spells his first name with two Ls. (But hey, who is the LGBTQITSLFA community to judge? Look, something in common already!)
Contact: 360-786-7640 or paull.shin@leg.wa.gov

I keep saying it, this is the smartest political show on Sunday morning: "Up with Chris Hayes" on MSNBC

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Today's show included panelists from the right and left: former governor and attorney general of New York Eliot Spitzer, President Reagan's former director of the Office of Management and Budget David Stockman, MSNBC contributor Melissa Harris-Perry, and economics reporter for The New York Times Catherine Rampell.

A young gay Korean-American filmmaker debuts a compelling short movie at Sundance. Watch it here

I recommend Andrew Ahn's family drama "Dol (First Birthday)" While the story centers around the first birthday for a child in Korean-American family, it strikes the universal themes of family expectations, the reluctance to come out, and the desire to be unconditionally seen and accepted. Andrew is a rising star, and I expect to see many thoughtful films from him. Watch it here.

Rhetoric vs. reality: unemployment is high because George Bush drove the country into the ditch. Obama has had to deal with the problem

Despite the worst recession since the great depression, the Euro crisis, the Japanese earthquake & nuclear meltdown, the Deepwater oil disaster, and the high housing foreclosure rate, Obama and his policies has put the country on a upward path. No matter narrative from Fox News and the GOP, the economy is improving. Above is the data.