Jared Nelson, Elizabeth Gaither and Luis Torres of the Washington Ballet
in the 2010 World Premiere of Septeem Webre's 'The Great Gatsby' at The Kennedy Center.
(also MY OWN PERSONAL 'World Premiere' since I choreographed; as depicted by
The Washington Post, the 'searing Tango' scene ...and at 'The Kennedy Center' no less!
Where better to have one's first 'World Premiere' take place in conjunction with the brilliant
director and choreographer, Septeem Webre and the world-reknowned Washington Ballet?!)
Welcome to 'Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...'
at www.DanceDirt.com (DanceSportDirt.com, DanceSportGossip.com, NobodyAskedForMyOpinionBut.com, ButThatsJustMyOpinion.com), the web site of DanceSPORT gossip... and more.
As an ardent activist for 'Equal Rights, Animal Rights and The Environment' (not to mention my strong political views ...as one who lives within the Washington beltway, don't even get me started on that since I will discuss them in any social setting whether considered appropriate or not. ...Just ask me. I have always felt that those who don't want politics discussed in social situations are those who don't want the masses to possibly learn the actual truth and vote accordingly) and as one who has always had an opinion on most topics, I have never felt inclined to keep them to myself. Consequently I've decided to include one of my favorite (and most opinionated) sections of the 'DC DanceSPORT News' as a separate page on the PleaseDanceWithMe.com web site entitled "Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...". Here I express my thoughts and opinions to the world. I can do that in America, you know ...it's the 'Land of the Free ...and the home of the brave'. 'MY' opinions are below and I'd 'LOVE' to also know YOURS ...I might even post them on the following section of this web page that I call "....Nobody asked for their opinions either...BUT...".

Topic menu of this web site - click here
(or scroll down and take the much more scenic route ...
which includes a variety of more topics than I can even list)
You may also follow my postings on
facebook
Clip art hose fecebook

The topics listed below often include excerpts from some of my favorite photo and video galleries....(like the one immediately following of Christian the Lion [4.47 minutes]). (shorter version of Christian the Lion Reunion as seen on CNN [2.28 minutes])

Hug your dance partner.....today!
I promise that your DANCING (with lions & tigers & bears....& even other people!...)
will NEVER be THE SAME!...heart beating

Christian the Lion - 2nd and Final Reunion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl1y9IOHof8&feature=related
Christian the Lion's second reunion with Ace and John was caught on film. They didn't know that this was the last time they would ever see Christian again.

 

 


**************************************
"When we deprive the equal rights of one, we threaten
the equal rights of everyone. An injustice anywhere should
be an injustice everywhere." ~ Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
**************************************

 




This site is inappropriately and unprofessionally maintained by:
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
 (www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.DancingWithTheDCStars.com)
the home of
 Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT & Entertainment
We offer the most professional and authentic dance entertainment available throughout Metropolitan Washington DC.
Plus we provide easy, flexible and fun instruction for the entire family in every style of social dance from around the globe
that literally ANYONE can afford (and your 1st class is FREE! with a 2-for-the-price-of-1Pass online for 1st-timers).
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870

Visit all of our other highly-opinionated awareness projects at:
www.NobodyAskedForMyOpinionBut.com
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
www.StopDisabledAbuse.org
.... and let's not get started on the environmental abuse that
each and every one of us continues to bombard this life-giving
planet with every single day.

 

 

 

Graphic Coulage of dance photos with banner: PleaseDanceWithMe.com (I promise that your DANCING will NEVER be THE SAME!!!)dance art montage

 

Singles, couples and same-gender couples of any age group, including the disabled in wheelchairs and
the seeing & hearing-impaired are all welcome and encouraged to attend any of our classes and social dance
events (ASL available). No dance partner, previous dance experience or specific age specifications required.
We just have a belief that EVERYONE should dance together!

 

 


Repeal 'DADT' not in Dec but NOW through the Defense Authorization bill
Senate Armed Services Committee will be marking up the annual, must-pass
Defense Authorization bill and it must include repeal of DADT.
Tom Toles Cartoons, The Washington Post, May 25, 2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/tomtoles/

 

MJ's Thriller dancers
Prepare with us for an upcoming MJ/Equality Flash Mob
to include 'Beat It', the entire authentic 'Thriller' dance
routine plus a surprise 'Equality' Hip Hop ending....stay tuned.....
Visit www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com

 

Some favotite Politically Incorrect (sorry, not politically neutral)
campaign posters and cartoons.
(You decide what party or parties
you want to govern America...)

poster Obama can't change 8 years of Bush in 4

 

 

 

 

Proposition 8: The musical
www.hotair.com/archives/2008/12/03/video-prop-8-the-musical/
(you may need to copy and paste this link as I cannot get it to cooperate otherwise)

Prop 8 The Musical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug3YkVhkemg

Visit a star-studded cast in Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical." (this is still one of my favorites...)

A star-studded cast (in order of appearance) turns out for Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical."
California Gays and The People That Love Them
Jordan Ballard, Margaret Cho, Barrett Foa, J.B. Ghuman, John Hill, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph, Rashad Naylor, Nicole Parker, John C. Reilly, Allison Janney, Kathy Najimy, -Jenifer Lewis, Craig Robinson, Rashida Jones, Lake Bell, Sarah Chalke, Katharine "Kooks" Leonard, Seth Morris, Denise "Esi!" Piane, Lucian Piane, Richard Read, Seth Redford, Quinton Strack, Tate Taylor, Brunson Green, as Jesus Christ - Jack Black, A Very Smart Fellow - Neil Patrick Harris, Piano Player - Marc "Marc" Shaiman


To go to a very funny interactive White Rabbit Cult graphic on the Palin White House, click here.

 

Return to menu

 

America's Watershed...VOTE!

 

Cartoon: Those from Fox News who believe that 9/11 terrorists were from Irag are f**cking stupid.

Cartoon: Gingrich and Palin re: Mosque

Cartoon re: Ground Zero
Cartoon: Have a Dream...want to scream

Superman vs homophobia on facebookCampaign for Equal Rights

Radical poster board

Gay Iwo Jima

 

The Empty Chamber
Just how broken is the Senate?

by George Packer
Broken Congress cartoon

Change? Have to workClip Art the 'Party of NO'

 

Clip art: donkey kicks elephant - middle class vs corporate whores.

 

Clip Art: Graph of top tax rates of Americans

Photo: David Boies Ted Olson vs Prop 8

ClipArt:Stop DOMAClip Art: Madd Donald Duck

clip art: no same-sex marriage...don't marry same sex

Clip art: NOM solution to Gay Marriage-hanging gaysPoster: the mormons and Prop 8

Clip art: Hate NOT a family valueclip art: if fetus is gay will you fight for it's rights?


Clip art: LBGT rights are civil rights
Clip art: Snoopy typing

Clip art: injustice=law, resistance=duty

ClipArt: hateful man=sick man

clip art: people don't get fired for being straight

 

Say NO to
Clip Art the 'Party of NO'
VOTE!!...and make sure that
EVERYONE THAT YOU KNOW VOTES ON NOV 2, 2010!!!

Uncle Sam: I want YOU (to Get your head out of your ass, America!)

 

Photo corduory skirts a sin

 

Photo Tea Party English offical language (misspelled)

clip art 1 in 3 suicidal teens are LGBTRally photo Separate not equal

photo rally for love not hate

Banner: gay marriage=beastiality as hamsters voting

Rally: ignorance now available in color

photo: marching twin lionsphoto: elephants
Photo: boxing polar bearsAngry lion
We must stand together and fight against hate, polution and corporate greed.

Rally photo: straight Christian for gay rights

coulage same-gender dancers

 

We want YOU!!...

Uncle Sam 'We Want YOU'
...to DANCE!!...
as same-gender couples...
Out On The Dance Floor!!

 

 




()
DANCERS!
...of all levels to compete in Gay Games Cleveland, 2014
as same-gender couples in Ballroom, Latin and/or C/W.
There is PLENTY of time to prepare for at least the beg/int
levels by Gay Games, 2014.

 

Team DC logoGay Games classes banner

 

Dance coulage

Graphic Coulage of dance photos with banner: PleaseDanceWithMe.com (I promise that your DANCING will NEVER be THE SAME!!!)dance art montage

The perfect dance parties always with classes to finally get your
"Non-Dancing friends" into "The swing of things"!!..

 

Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun....
... and START HAVING IT?!!

 

Poster: persecution of Indians and middle class

Bush photo: keep my tax cuts - no jobs?

poster: Republican solution to economic problem

Poster: life under conservative rule unequal

Photo: civilized liberals

Poster: construction workers liberals

Photo: progressive and civilized

photo: progressive and civilized

Photo: progressive civilized seniors

Photo: progressive civilized youth

Photo: progressive civilized middle class

Clip art: OneNation RallyPoster: One Nation Rally 10-2-2010
Go to this site for free bus srevice to your Nation's Capital. Click on the left graphic to reach the site.

Cartoon...gay parents keep having gay babies...

Clip art: Lion Father's DayClip art: Snoopy, Charlie Brown hugging
'Love' is my religion....

 

America's Watershed...VOTE!

 

 

 

Topic menu of this web site
(or scroll down and take the much more scenic route)
You may also follow my postings on
facebook
Clip art hose fecebook

 

 


**************************************
When we deprive the equal rights of one, we threaten
the equal rights of everyone. An injustice anywhere should
be an injustice everywhere - Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
**************************************

 




This site is inappropriately and unprofessionally maintained by:
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
 (www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.DancingWithTheDCStars.com)
the home of
 Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT & Entertainment
We offer the most professional and authentic dance entertainment available throughout Metropolitan Washington DC.
Plus we provide easy, flexible and fun instruction for the entire family in every style of social dance from around the globe
that literally ANYONE can afford (and your 1st class is FREE! with a 2-for-the-price-of-1Pass online for 1st-timers).
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870

Visit all of our other highly-opinionated awareness projects at:
www.NobodyAskedForMyOpinionBut.com
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
www.StopDisabledAbuse.org
.... and let's not get started on the environmental abuse that
each and every one of us continues to bombard this life-giving
planet with every single day .

 

Return to menu

 

 


Repeal 'DADT' not in Dec but NOW through the Defense Authorization bill
Senate Armed Services Committee will be marking up the annual, must-pass
Defense Authorization bill and it must include repeal of DADT.
Tom Toles Cartoons, The Washington Post, May 25, 2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/tomtoles/

 

MJ's Thriller dancers
Prepare with us for an upcoming MJ/Equality Flash Mob
to include 'Beat It', the entire authentic 'Thriller' dance
routine plus a surprise 'Equality' Hip Hop ending....stay tuned.....
Visit www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com

 


1) President’s Memorandum from the White House, April 15, 2010

“SUBJECT: Respecting the Rights of Hospital Patients to Receive Visitors and to Designate Surrogate Decision Makers for Medical Emergencies

“There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean -- a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them.

Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides -- whether in a sudden medical emergency or a prolonged hospital stay. Often, a widow or widower with no children is denied the support and comfort of a good friend. Members of religious orders are sometimes unable to choose someone other than an immediate family member to visit them and make medical decisions on their behalf. Also uniquely affected are gay and lesbian Americans who are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they may have spent decades of their lives -- unable to be there for the person they love, and unable to act as a legal surrogate if their partner is incapacitated….

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-hospital-visitation

2) New York Times April 15, 2010

Obama Widens Medical Rights for Gay Partners
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: April 15, 2010
President Obama on Thursday ordered his health secretary to issue new rules aimed at granting hospital visiting rights to same-sex partners.
The White House announced the rule changes, which will also make it easier for gay men and lesbians to make medical decisions on behalf of their partners, in a memorandum released Thursday night. In it, the president said the new rules would affect any hospital that participates in Medicare or Medicaid, the government programs to cover the elderly and the poor. Article refers to Janice Langbehn’s experience when her partner, Lisa Pond was hospitalized.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/us/politics/16webhosp.html?ref=us


3) New York Times, by Tara Parker Pope May 18, 2009

Kept From a Dying Partner’s Bedside

When a loved one is in the hospital, you naturally want to be at the bedside. But what if the staff won’t allow it? That’s what Janice Langbehn, a social worker in Lacey, Wash., says she experienced when her partner of 18 years, Lisa Pond, collapsed with an aneurysm during a Florida vacation and was taken to a Miami trauma center. She died there, at age 39, as Ms. Langbehn tried in vain to persuade hospital officials to let her visit, along with the couple’s adopted children. In her lawsuit, Ms. Langbehn is being represented by Lambda Legal, a gay rights group. “We want to send a message to hospitals,” said Beth Littrell, a lawyer for the group. “If they don’t treat families as such, if they don’t let patients define their own circle of intimacy and give them the dignity and care to be with their loved ones in this sort of crisis, then they will be held accountable.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/health/19well.html?_r=1&ref=politics

4) Are the Tea Party "Evil Empire" illustrations of the Obama administration a new tactic? Not at all. It's part of 'The Evil Empire' tactic of fear that was promoted by the RNC during an earlier special closed meeting that was unexpectedly exposed to the media (see below)

 

graph Repubs raise debt ceiling 261 times during Bush

Fellow Ohioan Marian Fisher ~ "We all know it isn't about the debt, or the debt ceiling, or the deficit, it's about finding a way to do away with our President and, and it is getting very old, and very dangerous." (graph above)

Since 2002, when Republicans George W. Bush and Dick Chaney came into power, the number of Republican votes in the US Senate to increase the debt limit was 275. That included from the minimum 26 GOP votes in 2006 to 51 votes in 2007, and everywhere in between during Bush's 8 years (see attached graph). Once Obama came to the White House, however, the picture changed dramatically. There have been a total of three (yes that is 'THREE') GOP Senate votes to raise the debt in the 'THREE' years since Barack has been US President.

For many of us this is not only unconscionable, refusing to make this country solvent merely for political purposes, but it is next to treason; keeping this country from being able to pay its debts for nothing more than political gain.

A number of members of the "GOP underground" in attempts to raise funds were accidentally discovered early into the Obama administration of indicating that they were going to do anything they could to cause this administration's failure, including creating FEAR about Barack and this administration and anything that they do (http://www.pleasedancewithme.com/myopinion.htm#obamaevilempire) (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35706805#35715196).

Many of us believe that they have been religiously keeping that promise throughout, from the ridiculous "birther" fiasco that many Tea Party members held on to right up to the end, to accusing him of breaking promises on closing the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba; in spite of the fact that it was Congress that refused to 'allow him' to him close it.

It is important to Remember, Obama is not a dictator. Presidents act upon legislation passed and brought to them by Congress and they either pass it, amend it or veto it. Surprisingly, to many misinformed Americans, he 'Obamasiah' DOES NOT Walk on Water and DOES NOT, like a dictator, legislate whatever is his desire 'with a stroke of a pen'.

As a result of the self-indulgence, greed and refusal to allow increased taxes for their wealthy campaign donors by the TP/Republicans in Congress, it is already assumed by the financial industry that there may be a 50% chance that the credit rating of the greatest country in the world (or what used to be) may soon be lowered as a result of the refusal by the Tea Party/Republicans to increase the debt limit, not to mention the fact that Wall Street has already suffered for four days in a row …all of this because of their refusal to do something that they would have done …and did do, at the drop of a hat for George W. Bush. I use a quote of Dr. Phil McGraw in regard to the matter, "How's THAT workin' for us, America"?

In the end, the draw-back in all of this for the Tea Party/Republicans is that their indifference to the well-being of their country and their voting constituents as opposed to their steadfast allegiance to the wealthy oligarchs such as Koch Industries and other wealthy corporations and millionaires who financed their elections without conscientiousness (thanks to the recent dismantling of campaign finance reform via the Supreme Court ruling on 'Citizen's United') has awakened a sleeping giant in the progressive/liberal factions of the US voters. Those voters used to have faith that those elected really were dedicated to the betterment of the country as opposed to their political gain. These voters in droves have finally realized that their faith in many of their elected officials has been a mistake.

In contrast, many once trusting and complacent Democratic/progressive voters are suddenly experiencing something similar to the pivotal moment of the film 'Network', when the character Howard Beale (Peter Finch) exhorts his audience to resolve "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

This unrest is not only being experienced in my home state of Ohio:

****************** BEFORE *****************
Repeal SB5 Rally - Columbus Oh - April 9, 20911
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1sP0eDumg
Over 11,000 working people in Ohio came to the Statehouse for the beginning of the 'Repeal SB5' campaign. Teachers, firefighters, pastors, mental health workers, and parole officers gave testimony that SB5 is dangerous, reckless and wrong for Ohio.
If you missed the rally, watch this video to see some highlights of the event.

****************** AND AFTER!!! *********************
SB5 Petition: 1,298,301 Signatures (only 2,300 needed…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK6W2x704Y0&feature=player_embedded#at=198
A semi-truck stuffed with petitions delivered nearly 1.3 million signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State on June 29 in order to put union busting SB 5 up for a citizen's veto. Thousands of Ohioans marched through the streets of the capitol in the People's Parade to deliver the signatures, which were over five times the number needed to get the bill on the ballot for a public referendum.

Ohio gives Gov. John Kasich's (R) union busting bill some major push back. I can smell the Republican fear from here. What will the corporate overlords at ALEC think?
YES, OHIO! ...MY HOME STATE! .... GO BUCKS!
***************************************

…. but all across America and especially in states as Wisconsin, Minn, Mich, Indiana, New Jersey and Florida people are revolting where TP/GOP legislatures are busting state unions, cutting education and threatening retirement programs and health and hospital services as opposed to taxing the wealthiest 2% in this country as before the Bush tax cuts; a decision which could wipe out this budget debt within a very few years on the backs of the wealthy as opposed to taking even more benefits from those who are struggling every single day to make ends meet. (to-be-continued)

 

'Prop 8 The Musical'

 Visit a star-studded cast in Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical." (I still love this one...)

 


To go to a very funny interactive White Rabbit Cult graphic on the Palin White House, click here.

Return to menu

 

NEW TUES LATIN WORKSHOPS FOR COMPETITION DANCERS TAUGHT BY
NIKOLAI PILIPENCHUK

New Tues evening International Latin technique workshops
for all levels of competitive dancers at the
Chevy Chase Ballroom & DanceSport Center
taught by the top International Latin and 10-dance Champion,

Nikolai Pilipenchuk

. 2009 Hotlanta Professional Latin Champion
. 2009 St Louis Star Ball Professional Latin Champion
. 2009 Eastern U.S. Professional Latin Champion
. 2009 Eastern U.S. Professional 10 Dance Champion
. 2008 Ohio Star Ball Professional International Rising Star Latin Champion

Tuesday evening International Latin technique and styling workshops for competition dancers of all levels with Nikolai Pilipenchuk at the Chevy Chase Ballroom

Take advantage of this unique chance to train with one of the top competitors in all of the International Ballroom and Latin dances. Spice up your International style Latin and American style Rhythm routines now, before the upcoming local comps at the Md, Va State and Capitol DanceSport Championships. Don't hesitate if you're not already competing as additional assistance will be available during class to help any less-experienced dancers to keep up while the progress of the class continues moving.

NO DANCE PARTNER NECESSARY AS WE WILL ROTATE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT EACH CLASS

Private coaching is also available with Nikolai on Tuesdays.

Time: 7pm-8pm
Dates: Tues, March 16 - Tues, April 27
Location: The Chevy Chase Ballroom, 5207 Wisc Ave, NW, WDC 20015
Admission: $12 drop-in (or use of Terry's $95 10-class dance card at PleaseDanceWithMe.com), $10 students with F/T ID, $85 student 10-class dance card (must present a full-time student ID for the session of use).

Additional information (parking, directions, map):

Terry Chasteen
International DanceSPORT and Entertainment
www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
Ph: 202-462-0870

Nikolai Pilipenchuk and Natalia Skorikova
Professional International Latin and 10-Dance Champions


Remember there's only one way to make it through this life and still maintain your sanity...
.... by DANCING!


Social dancing on Sundays will continue each week as scheduled in both
Salsa & Latin (7-9pm in studio A) and Argentine Tango (8-11pm in studio B).
Both dance parties are preceded by beginner intermediate and advanced classes in
all styles from 1:00pm tp 8:00pm.

Contact: TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com, 202-462-0870 or 202-596-4860 (cell)
www.TangoDanceSPORT.com

 

Friday evening Dance-and-Learn Parties on specified weekends in March and April on March 5 & 12 and April 2, 9, 16 & 30 at the Chevy Chase Ballroom.
8:30pm - 11:30pm with Beginner Intermed AND Advanced classes taught by the Chevy Chase Ballroom teaching staff. Includes mini-dance classes in two dances with 3 levels at once plus snacks, refreshments, teacher-assisted practice and PLENTY of general dancing. Everyone is welcome at all levels including singles, couples, same-gender couples and the seeing and hearing impaired (limited ASL available...a GREAT way for me to practice my ASL!)
NO DANCE PARTNER REQUIRED AS PARTNERS WILL ROTATE THROUGHOUT THE CLASS
$15/ drop-in, $10 students with F/T ID, (the $95/10-class dance card good toward any classes listed at www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com are not good toward this studio event). 5207 Wisconsin Avenue NW, WDC. Details www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, 202-462-0870, TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,

 

All PleaseDanceWithMe.com classes are available by clicking on this link. Email TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com or call 202-462-0870 with any questions.
Thanks,
~ Terry

PARKING UPDATE AT THE CHEVY CHASE BALLROOM:
(1) 14 spaces are available at the East end of the Bank Of America parking lot during non-banking hours
(2) 10 spaces directly under the ballroom after 9pm when Paul's Liquor closes
(3) 12 spaces across the street at the BB&T Bank also during non-banking hours (two of which are for handicapped parking).
(4) Friendship Heights red line Metro is three minutes away at the Jennifer St exit
(5) the 30 line Metro bus stops directly across the street into the wee hours to Georgetown and all the way through downtown to Capitol Hill.
(6) Plenty of residential parking (2 hours during daytimes) also available along Harrison St and on the next block East along 42nd St at Harrison St NW behind Fox 5 News.

 

Also, before we go any farther....nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...

HOW MANY MORE INNOCENT AMERICANS MUST
DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BEFORE WE
STOP ALL CELL PHONE DRIVING
IN THE US?
Not one of the 60,000+ deaths or 250,000+ injuries in America in 2008 resulting from texting and talking on the phone is worth any one of those phone calls or text messages; not to mention the hundreds of thousands that have taken place since. This is not just a teenager problem or a commercial truck or bus driver problem, this is a serious problem and an ongoing danger to innocent people that involves EVERY SINGLE DRIVER in this country. So why are we still pondering over the use of cell phones while driving in the US? DC and several states have already wisely and responsibly outlawed the use of all cell phones while driving and now it needs to be a national restriction. Are we going to continue allowing the lobbyists of the wealthy phone companies to continue to rule congress in America, or are we each going to stand up to the plate and do something about it?

Please commit to making any automobile
that you're riding in an official

Visit www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org to learn how you can help
to eliminate this deadly obsession from America's highways. Keep in mind
that the next life that is lost (and there will be MANY before we stop this
irresponsible practice) may well be your life or the life of someone you love.


And I hope you were able to see my first 'World Premiere" at the Kennedy Center (OK, so maybe it wasn't actually MY World Premiere...except for the Tango choreography, including a "searing Tango" between Tom Buchanan and Gatsby as depicted by The Washington Post... "[Artistic Director Septime] Webre does a tremandous job at keeping the ballet in motion. A searing Tango spells out the danger between Gatsby and Tom")
Wed, Feb 24 - Sun, Feb 28 Tango in 'The Great Gatsby' at the Eisenhower Theatre of the Kennedy Center
(Wednesday's performance is completely sold out and tickets for all evening performances are limited).
A Tango scene was added late in the makings of the World Premiere of 'The Great Gatsby' performed by the Washington Ballet at the Kennedy Center, to include both Argentine and International style choreographed by Rene' Davila and Terry Chasteen. One more opportunity to get our beloved Tango into the mainstream theatre through what promises to be a groundbreaking new musical. Times and ticket Information available at www.TangoDanceSPORT.com , www.DanceDirt.com and www.WashingtonBallet.org to include group discount information. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20566. Contact: TerryChasteen@TangoDanceSPORT.com , 202-462-0870.


Luis Torres and Elizabeth Gaither as Tom and Daisy Buchanan in the Washington Ballet's 'The Great Gatsby'.
'The Great Gatsby', a World Premiere about to hit the stage of the Eisenhower Theatre at the Kennedy Center from Feb 24-28, 2010 is a Secret of DC about to be unleashed. This incredibly fun-filled musical of the Roaring 20's era performed by the 'Washington Ballet' under the guidance of artistic director Septeem Webre is LOADED with some of the most incredible song and dance numbers of nearly every style, including tap, Charleston, jazz, Swing and more PLUS an Argentine, International AND American style Tango scene co-choreographed by YOURS TRULY with the brilliant Septeme Webre! My first World Premiere ...and AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, NO LESS!!!
"The Washington Ballet returns to the splendor of the Jazz Age and the frivolity of the Roaring Twenties through Artistic Director Septeem Webre's re-imagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald's passionate, thought-provoking, and complex work". Visit www.DanceDirt.com for details, including ticket purchases and group discounts (and you should hurry! They're selling fast!).
Jared Nelson and Elizabeth Gaither as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan in the
World Premiere of Septeem Webre's 'The Great Gatsby' at The Kennedy Center.

~ TERRY CHASTEEN

Contact info:
Email: TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com, TerryChasteen@yahoo.com,
Ph: 202-462-0870 voice mail, 202-596-4860 cell
Visit www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com for details.

 

Myth of the 'gay lifestyle' justifies bias
(LZ Granderson is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, and has contributed to ESPN's Sports Center, Outside the Lines and First Take).

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/06/granderson.gay.lifestyle/index.html

"I understand opponents of gay rights must highlight differences in order to maintain the 'us against them' tension that's paramount to their arguments. But this notion that sexual orientation comes with a different and pre-ordained way of life -- as if we're all ordering the No. 3 at a drive thru -- only highlights how irrational groups such as Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, the American Family Association and others like them are in this whole debate.

Pro-marriage organizations try to stop two consenting adults from marrying. Pro-family groups try to stop stable couples wanting children from adopting unloved orphans."
------------------------------------
Being gay doesn't dictate how people live their lives any more than being straight does. There are gay people who go to church every Sunday and straight people who do not believe in God. There are single gay men who believe in the sanctity of marriage and married straight men who apparently do not -- such as Gov. Mark Sanford, ex-Sen. John Edwards and Sen. John Ensign, to name a few.

The truth is the only thing all gay people have in common -- you know, besides being gay -- is that we face continuous rhetorical, social and legal attacks for simply existing, thus potentially making something as mundane as bringing a date to a work function [or a high school prom....] a fight-or-flee situation.
------------------------------------------

In 29 states, people can be fired simply for being gay regardless of their education, experience or job performance; servicemen and women can be dismissed from the military regardless of their qualifications, dedication and courage; and partners are unable to see their better halves in the hospital regardless of the love, commitment and life they share.

Wanting to be judged by the content of one's character isn't a special right, it's a constitutional one guaranteed by the 14th and 15th amendments.

---------------------------------

145 years since the abolition of slavery, 90 years since women were allowed to vote and 20 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act, we're still involved in McCarthy-like investigations, holding Briggs-like elections and taking opinion polls based solely upon "what" someone is as opposed to "who" they are.

It's sad. We're such a great nation, still full of great hope and promise and yet we keep being tripped up by ignorance, which leads to fear and then eventually hate.

Being gay isn't a choice, but being a bigot certainly is.

---------------
We're just as diverse, intolerant, upstanding and tragic as our straight counterparts and unless there is an annual meeting I don't know about, the only item on the much talked-about 'gay agenda' is an abbreviated passage from the Declaration of Independence -- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

LZ Granderson

More on equal rights by this author and others at:
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org


"The Evil Empire", including President Obama, Nancy Pelosy and Harry Reid includes a document of F-E-A-R tactics found to help the Republicans take back control of Congress discussed by Chris Mathews.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35706805#35715196
(Click on the Obama drawing appearing as 'The Joker' and labeled "GOP plays the fear game" of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' web site)

F-E-A-R tactics found in a secret document to help the Republicans take back control of Congress as indicated by a power point program of the RNC finance director. The document was left by mistake after a closed meeting indicating "basicly this is how we do it, we Stroke the egos of the rich guys and we scare the small... donors."

Chris Mathews:
"The Evil Empire" a document of F-E-A-R tactics found to help the Republicans take back control of Congress as indicated by a power point program of the RNC finance director. The document was left by mistake after a closed meeting indicating "basicly this is how we do it, we Stroke the egos of the rich guys and we scare the small donors."

How can Republicans take control of the congress again? Well 4 letters; F-E-A-R. That's right, 'fear'. That's according to an RNC fundraising document obtained by the Politico Newsletter. It means more cries of 'socialism' and more pictures of President Obama painted as 'The Joker' in the Batman comics. ...

Ben Smith who broke this story from Politico, they're already tied into this; you say they were using this as sort of a lecture class, an instruction class, tell me about how it was used.

Ben Smith: "The finance director got up at this meeting of top donors and fundraisers in Boca Grande, Florida on Feb 18th and gave this as a power point presentation to them; basicly this is how we do it, we Stroke the egos of the rich guys and we scare the small donors."

Chris Mathews: What do you make of that, Republican strategist John feehery, your partiy is using this to raise money using fear, painting the President up like 'The Joker' with white face, using things like "extreme feelings toward existing administration, reactionary", even using the word 'reactionary', your party doesn't seem to mind that word reactionary too much, what are your thoughts, John?

 

 

 

graph Repubs raise debt ceiling 261 times during Bush

Fellow Ohioan Marian Fisher ~ "We all know it isn't about the debt, or the debt ceiling, or the deficit, it's about finding a way to do away with our President and, and it is getting very old, and very dangerous." (graph above)

Since 2002, when Republicans George W. Bush and Dick Chaney came into power, the number of Republican votes in the US Senate to increase the debt limit was 275. That included from the minimum 26 GOP votes in 2006 to 51 votes in 2007, and everywhere in between during Bush's 8 years (see attached graph). Once Obama came to the White House, however, the picture changed dramatically. There have been a total of three (yes that is 'THREE') GOP Senate votes to raise the debt in the 'THREE' years since Barack has been US President.

For many of us this is not only unconscionable, refusing to make this country solvent merely for political purposes, but it is next to treason; keeping this country from being able to pay its debts for nothing more than political gain.

A number of members of the "GOP underground" in attempts to raise funds were accidentally discovered early into the Obama administration of indicating that they were going to do anything they could to cause this administration's failure, including creating FEAR about Barack and this administration and anything that they do (http://www.pleasedancewithme.com/myopinion.htm#obamaevilempire) (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35706805#35715196).

Many of us believe that they have been religiously keeping that promise throughout, from the ridiculous "birther" fiasco that many Tea Party members held on to right up to the end, to accusing him of breaking promises on closing the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp in Cuba; in spite of the fact that it was Congress that refused to 'allow him' to him close it.

It is important to Remember, Obama is not a dictator. Presidents act upon legislation passed and brought to them by Congress and they either pass it, amend it or veto it. Surprisingly, to many misinformed Americans, he 'Obamasiah' DOES NOT Walk on Water and DOES NOT, like a dictator, legislate whatever is his desire 'with a stroke of a pen'.

As a result of the self-indulgence, greed and refusal to allow increased taxes for their wealthy campaign donors by the TP/Republicans in Congress, it is already assumed by the financial industry that there may be a 50% chance that the credit rating of the greatest country in the world (or what used to be) may soon be lowered as a result of the refusal by the Tea Party/Republicans to increase the debt limit, not to mention the fact that Wall Street has already suffered for four days in a row …all of this because of their refusal to do something that they would have done …and did do, at the drop of a hat for George W. Bush. I use a quote of Dr. Phil McGraw in regard to the matter, "How's THAT workin' for us, America"?

In the end, the draw-back in all of this for the Tea Party/Republicans is that their indifference to the well-being of their country and their voting constituents as opposed to their steadfast allegiance to the wealthy oligarchs such as Koch Industries and other wealthy corporations and millionaires who financed their elections without conscientiousness (thanks to the recent dismantling of campaign finance reform via the Supreme Court ruling on 'Citizen's United') has awakened a sleeping giant in the progressive/liberal factions of the US voters. Those voters used to have faith that those elected really were dedicated to the betterment of the country as opposed to their political gain. These voters in droves have finally realized that their faith in many of their elected officials has been a mistake.

In contrast, many once trusting and complacent Democratic/progressive voters are suddenly experiencing something similar to the pivotal moment of the film 'Network', when the character Howard Beale (Peter Finch) exhorts his audience to resolve "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

This unrest is not only being experienced in my home state of Ohio:
Laughing-Out-Loud …… LOVE THIS! I am 'SO PROUD' of my fellow BUCKEYES!

****************** BEFORE *****************
Repeal SB5 Rally - Columbus Oh - April 9, 20911
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C1sP0eDumg
Over 11,000 working people in Ohio came to the Statehouse for the beginning of the 'Repeal SB5' campaign. Teachers, firefighters, pastors, mental health workers, and parole officers gave testimony that SB5 is dangerous, reckless and wrong for Ohio.

If you missed the rally, watch this video to see some highlights of the event.

****************** AND AFTER!!! *********************
SB5 Petition: 1,298,301 Signatures (only 2,300 needed…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK6W2x704Y0&feature=player_embedded#at=198
A semi-truck stuffed with petitions delivered nearly 1.3 million signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State on June 29 in order to put union busting SB 5 up for a citizen's veto. Thousands of Ohioans marched through the streets of the capitol in the People's Parade to deliver the signatures, which were over five times the number needed to get the bill on the ballot for a public referendum.

Ohio gives Gov. John Kasich's (R) union busting bill some major push back. I can smell the Republican fear from here. What will the corporate overlords at ALEC think?
YES, OHIO! ...MY HOME STATE! .... GO BUCKS!
***************************************

…. but all across America and especially in states as Wisconsin, Minn, Mich, Indiana, New Jersey and Florida people are revolting where TP/GOP legislatures are busting state unions, cutting education and threatening retirement programs and health and hospital services as opposed to taxing the wealthiest 2% in this country as before the Bush tax cuts; a decision which could wipe out this budget debt within a very few years on the backs of the wealthy as opposed to taking even more benefits from those who are struggling every single day to make ends meet. (to-be-continued)

MORE FROM OHIO:

Now they need to collect more signatures to get every single state representative signing this legislation PLUS the Governor recalled. Their first year will be up JUST IN TIME!

As Ohio goes, SO GOES THE NATION! Maybe Mich, Wisc, Indiana, Fla and Minn will do the same!
And NOW, John Boehner you REALLY DO have SOMETHING TO WEEP ABOUT! .....
---------------------
We Are Ohio Campaign Kick-Off Rally to Repeal SB5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAvndpNi2w&feature=related
We the people are restless …We the people are tired …..We the people no longer are SLEEPING GIANTS. I said the GIANT has woken from his looong winter sleep …and the GIANT is about to cast it's vote.
So today ….I hear the words of the Prophet Amos, "Let justice run down as waters and as righteousness as a mighty stream"

This video is composed of a few moments from the We Are Ohio Campaign Kick-Off Rally to Repeal SB5 in Columbus, Ohio on April 9, 2011

SB 5 Referendum Facts:
231,149 - Signatures needed to place a referendum of the law on the ballot.

1,000 - Number of signatures needed for petition language to be approved by the Attorney General and Secretary of State, before additional petitions can be circulated.

44 - Minimum number of different counties where the petition signatures need to be collected.

April 6, 2011 - Last day for the law to be passed and filed with the Secretary of State in order to be placed on the Nov 2011 ballot, rather than the Nov 2012 ballot.

July 5, 2011 - Final date for signatures now that SB 5 was signed and filed with the Secretary of State by April 6. (We will have 90 days to collect signatures.)

July 26, 2011 - Final day by which the Secretary of State must determine if there are enough valid signatures to place the referendum on the ballot.

91 - If no referendum petition is filed, SB 5 goes into effect 91 days after it was signed and filed with the SOS. If a referendum is filed, the law does not go into effect until and unless Ohioans vote to allow the bill to become law.

5 - Number of members on the Ohio Ballot Board who determine ballot language once the referendum petition is accepted. The Board includes the SOS, one R and one D from the House, one R and one D from the Senate.
Learn more about SB5 and how to help repeal it here...
http://www.ohaflcio.org/
------------------------
Ohio SB5 Referendum is a Million Strong
WOSU Public Media's "Columbus on the Record" panelists discuss the possibility of a referendum against Senate Bill 5:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMm3N8yPCFA
Read more: http://j.mp/keyhGK
WOSU Public Media's "Columbus on the Record" panelists discuss the possibility of a referendum against Senate Bill 5, the bill that affects collective bargaining. We Are Ohio, the group leading the referendum effort, collected a million votes more than they needed (231,000 valid signatures are required) to have a referendum on Senate Bill 5 placed before voters this autumn.

Also: Lawmakers approve the state budget, which will bring major changes; Investors get a tax-credit program if they invest in Ohio companies; Ohio House OKs nation's most restrictive abo rtion measure; and the Cooper Stadium auto race track moves forward, but are neighbors' rights being trumped by business interests?
-----------------
Thousands Protest Outside SB5 Hearing
Educators See Troubled Future If Current Bill Passes
http://www.wlwt.com/r/26949784/detail.html [VIDEO]
"There is increasing talk here, Jack, about mounting a state-wide campaign if need be to get a ballot initiative on in November; that's a LARGE UNDERTAKING, of course" … ……IT IS?! (lol!). NOT SO LARGE!!! NOT FOR MAD-AS-HELL OHIO STATE BUCKEYES, AT LEAST!!!….(to-be-continued with more drama than a soap opera))))

 

From the AFL-CIO blog:
Some "people thought after the bill was passed, the fight was over," said Melissa Fazekas of We Are Ohio, the coalition of community, labor and faith groups that set the repeal drive in motion. But she added:

The people standing around me today are proof that while our campaign may be outspent, we will never be outworked, or out volunteered or out supported

TWU Local 208 President Andrew Jordan said, "It's been a task to get those signatures."

But it's been so overwhelming that we could all come together to bring them down here….Now we have to get the message out to go and vote on Nov. 8 to repeal the bill...
------------------------

Ohio Anti-SB5 Rally, Photos galore!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/26/950213/-Ohio-Anti-SB5-Rally,-Photos-galore!
Today I met a couple of hundred friends at the Statehouse grounds in Columbus, yelling "Kill the Bill" and "This is what democracy looks like". I'm going to throw a bunch of photos at you all so you can get a feeling for the event.
-------------------
Rally in Columbus Opposing SB5 [photo]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seiu/5469473229/
Former Democratic Ohio Governor Ted Strickland rallies the crowd against Ohio Senate Bill 5 which would slash funding to public sector jobs, and irreparably damage their right to collective bargaining at the Ohio Capital Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. Photo by Mike Elicson.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Countdown: The Keith Oberman show "Howard Dean on the RNC's fear tactics"
Click on the Howard Dean photo labeled "Howard Dean on fear tactics" of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' web site).

------------------------------


'Don't Ask Don't Tell' support letter has fake signatures by Eachel Maddow
(Click on McCain’s photo stating “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Support letter has fake signatures" of MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' web site)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/35706805#35715196

Rachel Madow:
The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' letter of support of over 1,000 retired military offic...ers to retain DADT is being promoted by John McCain 0ver and over again now that his main support for the legislation, Colon Powell has changed his mind. It turns out that a number of the people who have signed the letter are 'dead', which is awkward...the people who coordinated the letter have explained that some of thse signers signed the letter before they died, but there is an exception. In one case a General who is now dead had his name signed to the letter before he was dead but not by him; by his wife. She signed the General's name to the letter saying 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' should be kept.

The General himself whose name had been signed on the letter against DADT before his death had not been able to communicate for six years or so due to Alzheimers. Another General told Service Members United that he "never agreed to having his name on the letter but it ended up there anyway" another said that he never remembered even being asked ... See Moreabout the issue let alone whether his name could be used; another retired flag officer whose name is on the letter is demanding that the group who put his name on it take it off.
In total, the average age of the signatories to the 'Don't repeal Don't ask Don't Tell Letter' is 74. The oldest signer is 98 years old. Service Members United notes that only a small fraction of these officers have even served in the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' period, much less in the 21st century military. Which does make it awkward for them to be taken as the authority on what the 19-year-olds of today's military think about gays in the military.

 

THANK YOU!
TO TANGO REO AND ALL OF THE DANCERS
FOR A TRULY INCREDIBLE VALENTINE'S DAY MILONGA!
Feb. 14, Sun. Valentine’s Day MILONGA 8-11pm Chevy Chase Ballroom.
7-8pm Beginner and Int/Advanced classes with Terry and René (2 separate classes at same time). DJ David Liu, live music with Tango Reo 9:15-10:05pm. $15 class (includes milonga), $10 milonga only, $95/10-class dance card. 5207 Wisconsin Avenue NW, WDC. Details www.TangoDanceSPORT.com, 202-462-0870, TerryChasteen@TangoDanceSPORT.com, cantogargiulo@hotmail.com

 

All PleaseDanceWithMe.com classes are available by clicking on this link. Email TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com or call 202-462-0870 with any questions.
Thanks,
~ Terry

PARKING UPDATE AT THE CHEVY CHASE BALLROOM:
(1) 14 spaces are available at the East end of the Bank Of America parking lot during non-banking hours
(2) 10 spaces directly under the ballroom after 9pm when Paul's Liquor closes
(3) 12 spaces across the street at the BB&T Bank also during non-banking hours (two of which are for handicapped parking).
(4) Friendship Heights red line Metro is three minutes away at the Jennifer St exit
(5) the 30 line Metro bus stops directly across the street into the wee hours to Georgetown and all the way through downtown to Capitol Hill.
(6) Plenty of residential parking (2 hours during daytimes) also available along Harrison St and on the next block East along 42nd St at Harrison St NW behind Fox 5 News.

 

Visit our other highly-opinionated awareness projects at:
www.NobodyAskedForMyOpinionBut.com
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
www.StopDisabledAbuse.org
.... and let's not get started on the environmental abuse that almost
each and every one of us continues to bombard this life-giving
planet with every single day....and too many are too lazy to stop it.

 

URGENT: Prison or death for LGBT Ugandans!
(Click here to find out how you can help them)

Help us capitalize on the President's pledge by asking your
representative and senators to move quickly to repeal DADT.
(Click here to find out how you can help us)

Sen. John McCain can't keep his story straight on the military's
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
(Click here to find out how you can encourage Sen. McCain to do the right thing)
Even Sen McCain's wife, Cindy and daughter, Meghan are openly and aggressively opposing his view on this and other anti-gay legislation such as Proposition 8 in California.

 

 

Whether it's from watching
 "America's Ballroom Challenge"

on PBS,


"So you Think You Can Dance"
on FOX,

or
"Dancing with the Stars"
on ABC,
Dancin with the Stars graphic


Metropolitan Washington DC is definitely becoming a city of
BALLROOM, LATIN, TANGO, HIP HOP & SWING DANCING...

 

...now is the time for YOU to
"BECOME ONE OF THOSE STARS"...
"Out on The Dance Floor"!....



(Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun....and START HAVING IT?!!)

 

Click here
for the menu of topics of this web site
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CONGRATULATIONS!!

Visit www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com/YuletideBallDiscountCertificate.doc for a
First-time 2010/2011 Discount
for new Yuletide Ball attendees at any of next year's six competition sessions.
(Click here for details of the complete 2010 weekend)

For details visit
 www.YuletideDanceSPORTchampionships.com

 

 

Changes proposed in the Marriage laws for same-gender couples in the District of Columbia.
(1) Oct 6, 2009 Bill # 18-482 "The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009" was introduced into the DC City Council.
(2) Oct 26, 2010 the first set of testimonials were heard in the DC City Council for bill # 18-482
(3) Nov 2, 2009 The 2nd set of testimonials were heard in the DC City Council for bill # 18-482
(4) Tues, Dec 1st, 2009 The first vote for bill # 18-482 passed the DC City Council at 10-3 in favor.
(5) The required 2nd vote took place on Tuesday, Dec 15th with 11 voting for and 2 voting
against.
(6) Fri, Dec 18, 2009 Mayor Fenty then signed the bill into law on Fri, Dec 18th with 30 days
review by congress after it reaches them before the bill could become law.
(Click here for details)

-----------------------------------------------------------

D.C. judge rules against marriage referendum in the District of Columbia
D.C. judge rules against bid to force referendum on same-sex marriage : Election board decision is upheld in key victory for gay rights activists.
By Tim Craig - Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, January 15, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011402616.html

A D.C. Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that same-sex marriage opponents do not have a right to call for a referendum to determine whether such unions should be legal in the District. (more at the Washington Post)
More on this topic at www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
----------------------------------------

DC court rejects bid for a gay marriage referendum
The Associated Press, Thursday, January 14, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011402546.html

WASHINGTON -- A judge in Washington, D.C., has thrown out a lawsuit by opponents of gay marriage against the city's elections board.

Plaintiffs led by a Maryland pastor, Bishop Harry Jackson, sued after the Board of Elections and Ethics refused to put their initiative on the ballot. The measure would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman. The board ruled it violated the city's Human Rights Act. (more at The Washington Post)
More on this topic at www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org


A New Threat to the Sanctity of Marriage
by Angry Mouse, Sun Jan 17, 2010
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/17/824810/-A-New-Threat-to-the-Sanctity-of-Marriage

Social conservatives love to bemoan the disintegration of traditional values. Women in the workplace, babies born out of wedlock, etc. And then, of course, there is the greatest threat of all, the threat that could destroy the sacred institution of opposite marriage forever: gays and lesbians exchanging rings, registering at Macy's, and committing to love each other forever. Horror of horrors!

In 2004, "values voters" flocked to the polls to ban gay marriage in 11 states, heeding the call by President Bush to protect the "most enduring human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith."

Never mind that, as Nate Silver recently noted, divorce rates are actually higher in states that have banned gay marriage. Meanwhile, Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate in the country, a divorce rate that has declined 21 percent since legalizing gay marriage in 2004.

And never mind that Alaska, the first state to ban gay marriage, has seen the highest increase in the divorce rate. As we all know, facts have a liberal bias.
 More on this topic at www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

 

A kingbird rides bareback and harasses a red tail hawk getting too close to his nest
at Bonny Lake State Park, Colorado.
(PAT GAINES | Special to the Denver Post)

"Awesome" photo a hit for Westminster birder (and no this is not photoshop)

********************************
"When the music's playing, I hope you're dancing; I hope you crank up the
volume, kick off your shoes, and have the time of your life!" -- Oprah Winfrey
********************************

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********************************
We're not here for a LONG time, we're here for a GOOD time!
So let's get started...and DANCE!!! -- TLChasteen
********************************

 

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---------------------------------------

IMPORTANT!
PBS has an online poll posted asking if Sarah Palin is qualified.

The poll will be reported on PBS and picked up by mainstream media, and it might influence undecided voters in swing states (and if you doubt that America is that gullible, remember the firestorm they made through Carl Rove's panic over Gay Marriage and the homosexuals taking over the country in the 2004 elections? How many educated Americans swallowed that pitch; hook, line and sinker, only to result in a President who chose an unnecessary and incredibly costly war; costly not only in money, but in American lives, not to mention the economic mess that we'll be in for decades-to-come and which now they blame Obama and the demacrats for? For those of us who have heard her incredibly anti-LGBT, anti-Marriage Equality speaches to the far right, the last thing we need in America is someone who will continue to put their own agenda over Equality/Justice for All.

Please do two things (takes 20 seconds).

1) Open the link and vote yourself.(Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html)

2) Then send this to every single Obama-Biden voter you know, and urge them to vote and pass it on.

The last thing we need is PBS saying their viewers think Sarah Palin is qualified

http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html


(Here's a very funny interactive White Rabbit Cult graphic on the Palin white house sent to me by our Sunday Argentine Tango DJ, David Liu. Go to the link and run your curser across the animated graphic at http://president-palin.whiterabbitcult.com/ to see what happens in the Palin White House).

More on equal rights for EVERYONE,
both in America and around the globe at:
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

 

THE ANT-GAY PROPOSITION 8 IN CALIFORNIA IS ON TRIAL
Tuesday, Jan, 12, 2010 - A historic trial over California's Proposition 8 began in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, promising to feature clashing witness testimony over equal rights, the meaning of bigotry and discrimination and the purpose of marriage.

And regardless of which side wins this case it will ultimately end up in the Supreme Court to determine once and for all across this nation, the constitutionality of state-wide bans against marriage equality (I cannot wait. I will be up at 5:30am if necessary every morning to be able to sit in the front row of the audience each and every day that this case is on trial in the Supreme Court of the United States, just as in the council chambers during the original DC Council introduction, two DC Council votes, nearly 200 testimonials and final signing by the Mayor of DC Bill 18-482 "The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009").
------------------------------------------

Prop. 8 challengers highlight religion's role in campaign
Foes of the gay marriage ban produce documents showing close ties between Catholic and Mormon church leaders and the pro-Prop. 8 campaign. By Maura Dolan, L. A. Times, January 21, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop8-trial21-2010jan21,0,1121020.story

Reporting from San Francisco - Challengers of California's ban on same-sex marriage tried to show Wednesday that religion has promoted discrimination against gays. Documents unveiled later revealed the Catholic and Mormon churches played a major role in passing Proposition 8.

An e-mail from the executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to the bishops and a cardinal said Catholics were crucial in providing money and volunteers to qualify Proposition 8 for the ballot.

The e-mail also praised the Mormon Church, saying it had provided "financial, organizational and management contributions" for the measure.

A memo by a Mormon Church public affairs officer said the Proposition 8 campaign was "entirely under priesthood direction," and the minutes of a Mormon Church meeting said members should not take the lead in promoting Proposition 8 but should work through protectmarriage.com.

The church document said a teleconference had been held in Salt Lake City with 159 of 161 Mormon leaders in California. The leaders were told to encourage members to contribute $30 each for Proposition 8, toward a projected goal of $5 million, in addition to general fundraising.

Andy Pugno, a lawyer for the Proposition 8 campaign, said in an interview that it was "astonishing" that the court allowed into evidence internal communications of churches.

"Today has been a major expression of religious bigotry," Pugno said of Wednesday's testimony. "The gloves have clearly come off, and religious voters are in the cross-hairs."

maura.dolan@latimes.com

-----------------------------------------------------


PHOTO: Cindy McCain Joins Project Protesting Prop 8
First Posted: 01-20-10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/cindy-mccain-noh8-photo-m_n_430004.html

On Wednesday, Jan 20, 2010 the NOH8 campaign protesting California's Proposition 8 announced a new high-profile Republican supporter: John McCain's wife, Cindy McCain. NOH8 is a photo project in which subjects are photographed wearing white, against a white background, with their mouths taped shut and "NOH8" painted on their faces. Cindy McCain -- wife of 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain --has taken a high profile position contrary to her husband's on the issue of same sex marriage, by starring in a new ad to support the fight against California's Prop. 8.

Meghan McCain said Wednesday in a Twitter message linked to her blog: "I couldn't be more proud of my mother for posing for the NOH8 campaign. I think more Republicans need to start taking a stand for equality."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=55696#ixzz2i2xnLB5R

------------------------------------------------


McCain's daughter Meghan McCain -- a vocal proponent of marriage equality -- posed for NOH8 last summer. (Her Daily Beast piece explaining why she posed can be found here.)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-19/why-i-posed-against-prop-8/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsR2

The Daily Beast's Meghan McCain on being the newest poster girl for a celebrity photo campaign to overturn California's ban on gay marriage—and why more Republicans should follow her lead.

I was so honored to be asked to pose for the NOH8 campaign. I am a proud member of the Republican Party and a proud supporter of marriage equality. I especially love the incorporation of the little elephant with his tusks duct-taped in the photograph. Marriage equality is not just a Democrat or Republican issue, it is a human one.
-------------------------------------------


Prop. 8 trial: San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders says lesbian daughter should have the right to wed
By Howard Mintz, hmintz@mercurynews.com, Posted: 01/19/2010
http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14224490

"My daughter deserves the same opportunity to have a wedding in front of family, friends and co-workers," Sanders testified, choking up repeatedly on the stand.

The plaintiffs consider Sanders' testimony important to exposing the depths of discrimination against California's gays and lesbians.

------------------------------


Keith Olbermann's Prop 8 Special Comment: It's "About The Human Heart" (VIDEO)
Huffington Post, First Posted: 11-10-08
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/10/keith-olbermanns-prop-8-s_n_142862.html

Keith Olbermann delivered a 'ROUSING' and emotional, 6-minute special comment on Prop 8 on Nov 10, 2008 shortly after it's passing. Olbermann, who is not gay and has never married, vehemently disagrees with its passage and that the ban on gay marriage as an insult to the real preaching of the Bible, which is love. Watch the video.

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More on the topic of Marriage Equality in the US can be found at
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

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The Sacramento Bee, Composite of a great collection of Prop 8 articles
http://www.sacbee.com/prop8/
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Top 9th Circuit Judge, Judicial Conference Tangle Over Video at Proposition 8 Trial
Tony Mauro, The National Law Journal, January 13, 2010
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202437893107
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Expert Battle Comes Early in Proposition 8 Case,
Dan Levine, The Recorder, Wednesday January 13, 2010
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Expert-Battle-Comes-Early-in-law-2594780532.html?x=0&.v=1
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Harvard History Prof. Testifies in Proposition 8 Case
JAMES K. MCAULEY, CRIMSON STAFF WRITER ,
Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/1/14/marriage-rights-restrictions-argument/

------------------------------------------------------
Proposition 8 trial turns to historians on second day
By Howard Mintz, hmintz@mercurynews.com, 01/12/2010
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14174369?source=most_emailed

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Prop. 8 backers ask U.S. Supreme Court to keep trial footage off YouTube
The federal trial beginning Monday on the constitutionality of the measure has 'the potential to become a media circus,' an attorney says in an emergency appeal to Justice Kennedy.
Foes of Proposition 8 criticized the appeal to the Supreme Court as a desperate attempt "to shut cameras out."
"Those who want to ban gay marriage spent millions of dollars to reach the public with misleading ads, rallies and news conferences during the campaign to pass Prop. 8. We are curious why they now fear the publicity they once craved," said Chad Griffin, president of the board of the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
"Apparently, transparency is their enemy, but the people deserve to know exactly what it is they have to hide."
david.savage@latimes.com
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Prop H8 Must Be Overturned!!
God stands for LOVE & EQUALITY! Prop 8 stands for HATRED & OPPRESSION.
http://www.rizigospel.com/
Hi there,
Let me start by saying that it is tragic that prop H8 passed in California. As a gay christian (learn more on how I was able to reconcile my faith with my sexuality by watching me on the "Video of Rizi's story" link above), I know that God loves us Just as He Created Us and wants EQUALITY FOR ALL!! I know that Our Opponents and those who supported and passed prop H8 did so based on biblical misinterpretation, ignorance to what the bible actually says about us and/or pure bigotry, and in so doing, they failed to reflect the love of Jesus for All.
When they voted our FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS away, our NEIGHBORS sadly failed to observe the 2nd greatest commandment from Jesus which is to love your neighbor as yourself ( Matthew 22:37-40 and Leviticus 19:18). We are their neighbors and true Christianity demands that they love us enough to treat us as equals. We as a nation do not believe in second-class citizenship and all those who voted yes on h8 should remember that "Separate, but Equal" is NOT EQUAL. Let us all recall that Virginia's "Racial Integrity Act of 1924" was upheld with the opinion, "Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His arrangement, there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that He separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix." This is such a clear example of religion-based bigotry being used to justify discrimination under law, and it took the landmark Supreme Court decision in that case -- Loving vs. Virginia (1967) -- to strike down anti-miscegenation laws in this country. It wasn't right when we treated women as less than men. It wasn't right when we treated black people as less than whites and it is not right to treat gay and lesbian people as less than straight people. This is the message of my new cd "COME OUT" and I hope you will get a copy for yourself or someone you know who needs to be encouraged.
God bless you.
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Proposition 8 on Trial
By Brian Doherty, January 13, 2010 7:46 AM
http://kcet.org/local/blogs/city_of_angles/2010/01/anti-gay-marriage-prop-8-on-trial.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
Stacking the Deck Against Proposition 8
A claim by a conservative reporter and Chairman of The Heritage Foundation's Center for Legal and Judicial Studies that there is an unfair environment against Proposition 8 (the unfair environment is what same-gender–loving couples have had to endure throughout the history of this country. …But that is JUST MY OPINION…)
http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed011110c.cfm
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The New Yorker
A Risky Proposal
Is it too soon to petition the Supreme Court on gay marriage?by Margaret Talbot
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/18/100118fa_fact_talbot (First page)
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/01/18/100118fa_fact_talbot?currentPage=all (11 pages)
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Plaintiff says Prop. 8 'means I'm unequal',
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer, Tuesday, January 12, 2010,
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/12/MN1E1BGLU9.DTL
Read more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/12/MN1E1BGLU9.DTL#ixzz0cccpYkc5
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Marriage historian testifies in Prop. 8 trial in San Francisco
Los Angeles Times
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/marriage-historian-testifies-in-prop-8-trial-in-san-francisco.html
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Gay Couples Testify as Marriage Case Starts
Dan Levine, The Recorder, January 12, 2010, Law.com
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202437864815

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The revolution must be televised
Why California's courtroom battle for gay marriage should be broadcast on YouTube , BY LINDA HIRSHMAN,
Salon.com, http://www.salon.com/news/gay_marriage/index.html?story=/mwt/feature/2010/01/12/televise_the_gay_trial
------------------------------------------------------

MercuryNews.com

Experts again headline Proposition 8 trial
By Howard Mintz, hmintz@mercurynews.com, Posted: 01/14/2010
http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_14194961?source=rss&nclick_check=1


Huffington Post – series of articles:

JUDICIARY 2.0 -- Prop. 8, YouTube and the Supreme Court
Jose Antonio VargasTechnology and Innovations editor, Huffington Post, Posted: January 12, 2010
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jose-antonio-vargas/judiciary-20----youtube-a_b_420578.html


Proposition 8: Historian Testifies Marriage About More Than Procreation
LISA LEFF, 01/12/10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/proposition-8-historian-t_n_420367.html


Couples Testify In California Gay Marriage Trial
LISA LEFF, 01/12/10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/11/proposition-8-court-block_n_418502.html


Proposition 8: Groundbreaking Gay Marriage Trial Starts In California
LISA LEFF, 01/11/10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/11/proposition-8-groundbreak_n_418475.html

Proposition 8: Gay Marriage Trial Defendant Wants Out Of Case
PAUL ELIAS, 01/ 8/10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/08/proposition-8-gay-marriag_n_416979.html

Gay Marriage And The US Supreme Court: Is It Too Soon To Petition?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/11/gay-marriage-and-the-us-s_n_418205.html


'Don't Ask Don't Tell' (DADT) Repeal: Dems Move Forward With Plans
01-12-10,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/dems-move-forward-with-pl_n_420180.html

New York Times:

Same-Sex Marriage Case, Day 2: History Lessons
By GERRY SHIH, January 12, 2010
http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/same-sex-marriage-case-day-2-history-lessons/?hp


Christian Science Monitor:

Gay marriage trial begins with tough questions for both sides.
Opening arguments began Monday in what could be a landmark trial for gay marriage. The case, which challenges California's ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8, could go to the US Supreme Court. Michael B. Farrell Staff writer, January 11, 2010
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2010/0111/Gay-marriage-trial-begins-with-tough-questions-for-both-sides

The Daily Kos
An ongoing daily condensation of many national events, including Proposition 8, DADT and more.
http://dailykos.com/


The L A Times:
The ruling written by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, drew deeply -- in spirit, at least -- on the philosopher Michael Walzer's insight that the American conception of moral progress consists not in the creation of novel rights but in the extension of those recognized as fundamental to those people to whom they've been denied. As such, the earlier decision stood in a distinguished line that includes Griswold vs. Connecticut and Brown vs. Board of Education -- in which courageous judges undertook to synchronize the law with the social conscience of their age.

Tuesday's ruling stands in the line of moral retreat and expedient retrenchment that includes Dred Scott vs. Sandford, Plessy vs. Ferguson and Korematsu vs. the United States.

Consider this passage from George's latest majority opinion, asserting -- against all reason -- that Proposition 8 did not entirely repeal or abrogate same-sex couples' right to privacy and due process or the "constitutional right of same-sex couples to 'choose one's life partner and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognized and protected family relationship.' " Instead, George wrote, "the measure carves out a narrow and limited exception to these state 'constitutional rights.' "

George went on to argue that Proposition 8 did not abrogate "all of the other extremely significant substantive aspects of a same-sex couple's state constitutional right to establish an officially recognized and protected family relationship and the guarantee of equal protection under the laws."

In other words, gay and lesbian Californians can board the marital bus but must take seats at the rear.

Moreover, denying an entire class of people the right to marry the partner of their choice is a "narrow exception" to the equal protection clause? And it's morally permissible to carve out exceptions to constitutional rights for specific groups, as long as it's done by majority vote?

So, if a majority of Californians voted to "carve out a narrow exception" to California's right to privacy and applied it only to Jews, would it be constitutionally acceptable? If Native Americans were accorded all the protections of the law by a ballot proposition, except the right to marry a non-Indian, would that be legal?

This is social and moral nonsense.

The court tried Tuesday to cover itself with a fig leaf of decency by allowing the 18,000 existing same-sex marriages to stand. It won't work. This is a logically and morally incoherent decision that simply will plunge the state into another round of bitterly divisive initiative politics, while adding fuel to the growing sense that all three branches of California's government have lost the ability to function in the public interest.

timothy.rutten@latimes.com
More on this topic at www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org


And let's not forget the needed complete ban on
driving while using cell phones!
Not just for teenagers; not just for trucks and busses;
for EVERYONE!
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
Already over 60,000 lives have been lost and over 250,000 injuries
have occured due to cell phone use while driving.
Not a single one of these was worth receiving or sending a text message or phone call

The Oprah Show:
This Show Could Save Your Life:
Visit http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Americas-New-Deadly-Obsession#
America's New Deadly Obsession of cell phone use while driving. We all need to make our automobiles a

"NO PHONE ZONE"
.
Take the Pledge, Save a life—maybe even yours. Sign our pledge to
make your car and any car that you ride in a "No-phone zone" and pass it on.
http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4

 

Cell phone abuse while driving:

The National Safety Council's web site for DISTRACTED DRIVING.
A lot of information- – the section “Public Education” has several videos – including a You Tube at the bottom of page – Dr. Phil interviewing young woman texter. There’s also information from the Cell Phone industry, and state laws, etc.
http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/distracted_driving.aspx


28 percent of accidents involve talking, texting on cellphones
Ashley Halsey III, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, January 13, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/12/AR2010011202218.html

New Organization Combats Distracted Driving
The Associated Press, WASHINGTON, January 12, 2010
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122479400


The next prohibitionists are cell phone prohibitionists
Point of Law.com (Information and opinion on the U.S. Litigation system),
Carter Wood, January 13, 2010
http://www.pointoflaw.com/archives/2010/01/the-next-prohib.php

 

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------------------------------------

The US Department of Transportation’s new website created January 2010 to discourage ALL cell phone driving.
http://www.distraction.gov/

“At the U.S. Department of Transportation, we heard America’s call to end the dangerous practice of distracted driving on our nation’s roadways.

------------------------------------
Focus Driven: Advocates for cell-free driving. New website created January 2010

http://www.focusdriven.org/index.aspx

FocusDriven is an advocacy group for victims of motor vehicle crashes involving drivers using cell phones.

FocusDriven is Based on MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), it works to make roadways safer for all motorists and stop use of ALL cell phones while driving.


FocusDriven is a partnership between the US Department of Transportation and the National Safety Council

----------------------------------

National Safety Council’s (NSC) Website on Distracted Driving-
http://www.nsc.org/safety_road/Distracted_Driving/Pages/distracted_driving.aspx

Numerous public opinion surveys show most drivers believe that using cell phones while driving is dangerous. Talking on cell phones while driving is estimated to increase crash risk fourfold. NSC estimates that 28% of crashes -- 1.6 million crashes per year -- can be attributed to cell phone talking and texting while driving. Site includes a lot of information-- research, and resources.

More on the dangers of cell phone distractions
while driving and what needs to be done about it at
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org

 

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Bill 18-482 "The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009"
The DC City Conncil has finalized a same-gender marriage bill, #18-482 "The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009" which will be voted upon by the DC City Council on Dec 1st, 2009. The objective of the Greenbelt, Md Bishop and his financial backer, the National Organization for Marriage is to derail Marriage Equality in DC by forcing a referendum allowing popular vote and promote division between city residents to determine the equal rights of the protected LGBT minority in the city. This would be in spite of the fact that such a referendum would be illegal due to the city's LGBT anti-discrimination law ('National Organization for Marriage' is the same organization which spent millions to derail California and Maine initiatives through incredibly expensive and untrue advertising about forced same-gender sex education in schools if the marriage laws passed, in spite of the fact that they knew in no uncertain terms that this was unfounded. Plus parents and guardians in both situations have always had the right to restrict sex education to their children in the schools if desired. The National Organization for Marriage is allegly funded by the financially powerful Morman Church from Utah which promotes itself to encourage love, consideration and respect for all mankind....?...[so much for due unto others...]). The agenda of this financially powerful conglomerate includes promoting black vs white religious vs 'non-religious' even though many LGBT individuals are religious plus MANY black churches in DC support Marriage Equality for same-gender couples (Visit DC Clergy United for Marriage Equality www.ClergyForMarriage.com).

In the meantime the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington said that it will not continue the social service programs it runs for the District of Columbia if the city doesn't change it's proposed same-sex marriage law to allow the Catholic Archdiocese to discriminate against same-gender married couples as in offering the same benefits to same-gender couples that are available to mixed-gender couple employees, adoptions, etc (by the way, this law affects 'civil marriage', not 'religious marriage'. It has literally nothing to do with 'religious marriage' [remember there is supposedly a constitutional 'Separation of Church and State' that many some still choose to ignore] which the Catholic Archdiocese is perfectly aware of regardless of what is falsely claimed by it and it's fellow marriage equality opponents...no church can ever be required to marry anyone that they wish to exclude in spite of what is inaccurately claimed by the opponents of Marriage Equality). So much for "Love Thy Neighber As Thyself" and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". All of these threats were made by the Archdiocese of Washington in spite of the fact that the services provided by Catholic Charities is performed through several hundred thousand dollars given to them this year alone by the city to perform these services, in addition to their tax-exempt status which results in many thousands more at the expense of the city.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine criticized the Archdiocese of Washington for threatening to end contracts to feed Washington, DC's homeless if the city allows gay couples the freedom to marry.

"I'm Catholic and I think it's wrong,'' Kaine said. "If you look at the church through history, the church will stand in tough situations and continue to do good. I think the strategy of threatening to hold back, it just doesn't seem like the church I've come up in."

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley

Kaine was seconded by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who also is Catholic.

"I don't understand how they can possibly do this," O'Malley said."I have a hard time believing that the nuns and priests who taught me about the Corporal Works of Mercy would agree that this is an appropriate response for the church."

More information at:
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org



This site is inappropriately and unprofessionally maintained by:
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
 (www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.DancingWithTheDCStars.com)
the home of
 Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT & Entertainment
We offer the most professional and authentic dance entertainment available throughout Metropolitan Washington DC.
Plus we provide easy, flexible and fun instruction for the entire family in every style of social dance from around the globe
that literally ANYONE can afford (and your 1st class is FREE! with a 2-for-the-price-of-1Pass online for 1st-timers).
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870

Visit all of my highly-opinionated awareness projects at:
www.NobodyAskedForMyOpinionBut.com
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
www.StopDisabledAbuse.org
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
.... and don't EVEN get me started on the environmental abuse that almost
each and every one of us continues to bombard this life-giving
planet with every single day....and too amny are too lazy to stop it.

Click here
for the menu of topics of this web site
or scroll down to take the scenic route

 

We regret the unfortunate loss of one more
incredibly talented icon of music and dance

Former 'Sexiest man Alive' and Star
of Broadway and the Silver Screen
Patrick Swayze
1952 - 2009
Visit the 'Dirty Dancing' Photo Gallery
and tribute to Patrick Swayze
Click here

 

We have lost far too many incredibly talented
and gifted American artists in the past year....

 

Oscar-winner Heath Ledger
1979 - 2008


Oscar-winner Heath Ledger
1979 - 2008

Visit the Brokeback Mountain Photo Gallery
and tribute to Heath Ledger at
www.BrokebackMountain.us

 

 


Michael Jackson
The most talented artist ... ever...
1958 - 2009

Visit the Michael Jackson's Thriller photo gallery
and tribute to Michael Jackson at
www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com

Michael Jackson remix
An unbelievable Michael Jackson a' cappella medley by Sam Tsu. As an obsessive/compulsive MJ fan I'm practically in tears by the end whenever I listen to this brilliant arrangement. We will absolutely be seeing a lot more of Sam Tsu in the future (by the way, if it looks like they're identical sextuplets they aren't. It's all the same guy...this is a BRILLIANT tribute to Michael!).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R12QVtuB0_Q

 


Tribute : Michael Jackson 'Beat It' Live In Japan 1987 (1958-2009) R.I.P
The next bite of MJ choreography that we'll be teaching as a warm-up is from the 'Tribute : Michael Jackson Beat It Live In Japan 1987 (1958-2009) R.I.P' video from 'Got Talent?' at
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5485601/14433563 near the end of the video. The counter is at -150 and danced to the 'Beat It' chorus of the song.


In memory of Michael Jackson. If We Hold On Together- Diana Ross
Another brilliant tribute to Michael Jackson by Justice89 to the song 'If we hold on together' by Diana Ross. "The world will never forget MJ. He impacted/inspired/saved many lives. Thank you, Michael. RIP Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009. His music will live on forever".
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5433880/14309103


Michael Jackson Dance Break (Dangerous). This is incredible and brilliant choreography.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mU8QoZMVOU



Mickael Jackson - Smooth criminal (Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUYD13W-oWs

 

 

Of course we can't leave out the infamous
DC "Thriller" routine
(taught to about 40 passers by in front of Union Stationby Terry Chasteen during the 2008 'Dance DC Festival')
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BovN4Mq3Ips

Visit the Michael Jackson's Thriller Photo Gallery and tribute to Michael Jackson at
www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com
including many more photos and links to performances by this one-of-a-kind artist.

 

 

AND THANK YOU!
to so many of you who took the time to commemorate Michael's passing by coming
in to learn 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' over the June 26th weekend. I can't think of a
better way to honor him than to learn how to dance like him, though none of us will ever
even come close. This is not the end, however .... we'll be doing this most Sat mornings as
a class warm-up at 10:00AM and on Sundays between 8:30PM & 9:00PM as part of the weekly

Including classes
and the weekly Washington DC 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' Meetup Group
('Michael Jackson's Thriller' dance class at the Chevy Chase Ballroom on YouTube)
www.youtube.com/user/DCTanguera


'Michael Jackson's Thriller' workshops and class warm-ups will continue to learn more of this this one-of-a-kind dance routine.
Visit www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com or www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com for any additions in days or times above and beyond the 10:00AM Saturday morning class warm-up before our beginner Salsa class (taught by Mein at 10:30AM) and the 'Dancing Kids' Network' Ballroom, Latin & Swing classes at 10:30AM (taught by Terry and additional associate teachers).

Below are three results in video from the June 26th weekend:

(1) VIDEO Michael Jackson "Thriller" Sat morning dance class at the Chevy Chase Ballroom on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/user/DCTanguera
Saturday, June 27th, 2009.

(2) VIDEO Featured WUSA channel 9 News Video with Terry & Nicole on Friday, June 25th. Now seen on WUSA9.com.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller on Channel 9, Friday June 25th, 2009 (1.15 minutes - type Michael Jackson's Thriller into the search request of the channel 9 videos)
http://www.wusa9.com/video/default.aspx?menuid=138

(3) VIDEO Latest Videos now posted on WUSA9.com, including Terry teaching and Terry & Nicole dancing on June 25th, 2009 (5.25 minutes). Now available at WUSA9.com.
http://www.wusa9.com/video/default.aspx?menuid=138
Learn the dance from “Thriller”.
"Digital correspondent Lindsey Mastis found a man who has spent many years teaching the 'Thriller' dance".

Location: The Chevy Chase Ballroom & DanceSport Center, 5207 Wisc Ave NW, Washington DC 20015
(1/2 block South of the Jennifer St exit of the Friendship Heights red line Metro above Paul's Liquor at Harrison & Wisconsin).
Contact: Terry Chasteen, TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com, TerryChasteen@yahoo.com, 202-462-0870.

Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun....and START HAVING IT?!!


**********************************************************
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter" ~ Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
Dr Martin Luther King on the National Mall
**************************************************

 


"For all my years in public life, I have believed that America must sail toward the shores of liberty and justice for all. There is no end to that journey, only the next great voyage. We know the future will outlast all of us, but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we make."

Hate Crimes Speech
September 25, 2007 | Standing Against Hate
Senator Kennedy on the Matthew Shepard Act
Facing a veto threat from the President of the United States and an uncertain vote in the U.S. Senate, Senator Kennedy fought to pass the Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Eventually signed into law in a later Congress, this legislation broadens existing law to prohibit hate crimes against women, gays, lesbians, and transgender persons; and gives prosecutors enhanced ability to charge and penalize those who commit hate crimes.

"There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction." - John F. Kennedy

"If by a 'Liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'Liberal,' then I'm proud to say I'm a 'Liberal." ~ President John F. Kennedy

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country...." --RFK, April 4, 1968

 

Visit 3 of my newest and, as always, highly-opinionated awareness projects at:
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
www.StopDisabledAbuse.org and
www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org
.... and don't EVEN get me started on the environmental abuse that almost
each and every one of us continues to bombard this life-giving
planet with every single day....

 

Here some of us made it into the Metro section of The Washington Post on October 27th, 2009
during testimonials for Marriage Equality in the DC City Council Chambers.

 

And here we are once again right in the middle of things on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 – this
time on national TV – ABC – and the Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/03/andy-hertzbergs-marriage_n_343752.html

More information available at:
www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

 

ALL OF TERRY CHASTEEN'S CLASSES AT PleaseDanceWithMe.com WILL
TAKE PLACE AS SCHEDULED ON MOST HOLIDAY WEEKENDS. CHECK
THE WEB SITE HOME PAGE AND DANCE CLASS LINK TO CONFIRM.

 

Return to menu

 

Before my life as a full-time professional Ballroom and Latin dance coach began, I spent over 26 years breeding, raising, training, showing and selling some of the most successful show horses in the United States as part of the Appaloosa, American Paint Horse and American Quarter Horse breed associations (yes, just as in dancing I couldn't bring myself to specialize in just one...). Though dressage was not one of the styles of show horses that we produced, I've seen and arm-chair judged many top level performances in hunter/jumpers and dressage, but have never seen one as perfect as this:


Sensational Dancing Horse
www.flixxy.com/world-equestrian-games-freestyle-dressage.htm


 

Other 'MUST SEE' videos!

Proposition 8: The musical
www.hotair.com/archives/2008/12/03/video-prop-8-the-musical/
(you may need to copy and paste this link as I cannot get it to cooperate otherwise)


Prop 8 The Musical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug3YkVhkemg


 A star-studded cast turns out for Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical."
Cast (in order of appearance)
California Gays and The People That Love Them
Jordan Ballard, Margaret Cho, Barrett Foa, J.B. Ghuman, John Hill, Andy Richter, Maya Rudolph, Rashad Naylor, Nicole Parker, John C. Reilly, Allison Janney, Kathy Najimy, -Jenifer Lewis, Craig Robinson, Rashida Jones, Lake Bell, Sarah Chalke, Katharine "Kooks" Leonard, Seth Morris, Denise "Esi!" Piane, Lucian Piane, Richard Read, Seth Redford, Quinton Strack, Tate Taylor, Brunson Green, as Jesus Christ - Jack Black, A Very Smart Fellow - Neil Patrick Harris, Piano Player - Marc "Marc" Shaiman

 

 

This Melodious McDonalds Order from StupidVideos.com is definitely a fun one.
"Old!" you say? "We've seen it before!?" This is probably the most melodious of
all of the fast food song order videos...and it's inside! www.StupidVideos.com
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5325156/14039179


 

 

And my favorite Flash Mob to date
Sound of Music / Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

 

...but I have to say the close second is from my alma mater by fellow
Ohio State Buckeyes (no, I'm not biased) in the new Ohio Union.

Flash Mob at the Ohio Union 5/3/2010 - The Ohio State University
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDNOB6TnHSI

I took my 'very first' Ballroom dance class in the old Ohio Union on this very hallowed ground as an undergrad back in '69 (Yes!... before MANY of you were EVEN BORN! so listen to your DANCING ELDERS!). I'm so proud of my fellow Buckeyes, why didn't they do fun things like this and Ballroom dance teams back when 'I' was a student?
Flash Mob OSU

flash mob OSU 4

Flash mob 2 OSU

Flash mob 3 OSU

flash m ob Ohio Union

photo flash mob OSU

flash mob OSU

osu flash mob

osu flash mob

Brutus Buckeye and OSU Pres @ osu flash mob

Brutis Buckeye and OSU pres @ OSU flash mob

osu flash mob-ohio union #20

osu flash mob - ohio union

osu flash mob-ohio union

 

 

Here's another much shorter one of Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'. It could be great to come up with a Michael Jackson medley of some of his greatest hits (of course including 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' which I can teach down to the very last detail) and have 'I Am What I Am' as the grand finale' as a testimonial to the 'Equality And Justice For All' movement.

[OFFICIAL] Michael Jackson Dance Tribute - STOCKHOLM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVJVRywgmYM


 

Michael Jackson Tribute - Montreal July 27
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYVi_6KZyTs

 

 

This is Bucharest's official video. Around 200 people gathered to bring an homage to the unique Michael Jackson on his birthday, the 29th of August. A big thank you for everyone involved in this, and to the great friends and dancer colleagues that were next to me, teaching the choreography. Everyone did this with their hearts - this is actually the only thing that matters. Love for Michael..

[OFFICIAL] Michael Jackson Dance Tribute - BUCHAREST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Nl09rh2HQ

 

The 'Dancing Kids Network' performing their Cha Cha Cha dance routine during the Dance DC Festival at Union Station in Washington DC. Performers include Hanan with his Mom, Michelle (I cannot understand why I can't get more parents to dance with their kids. What an opportunity you are all missing out on while it's available to you), Danny with Gilan & Hanan's twin brother Arizona with Tasneem. The music is 'Nina' by Miguel Bosse and Paulina Rubio (great song!...one of my favorite Cha Cha's by two of my favorite Latin artists!...)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5J6qTCIN5c

 

Gillan and Tasneem rehearse the complete choreography of the 'Dancing Kids Network' Cha Cha Cha dance routine, lead by Catlin & Terry and danced to 'Nina' by Miguel Bosse and Paulina Rubio (a great song!...one of my favorite Cha Cha's by two of my favorite Latn artists!...).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn1hQ3Akn4w

 

Don't just lie around the house and yard all day & night...

... DANCE!! The nicholas Brothers in "Chattanooga Choo Choo" (The Nickolas Brothers dancing to 'Chatanooga Choo Choo'...this is not Foto Shop...these guys were THE most talented ever)


EVERY SUNDAY:
Beginner and intermediate/advanced Sunday Tango classes taught at the same time by
Terry (beginners) and Rene' Davila (int/adv) from 7pm-8:00pm followed by dancing until 11pm.
All of this is preceded by classes in every style of social dance known to mankind starting at
1:00pm every Sunday. Visit www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com & click on the class schedule link.


(click here for details)

 

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We definitely plan to include a blog soon, maybe Blog Spot (as soon as I can figure out how to do that....) so we can get ALL of your opinions as well. For now, please send me your dance ideas and articles and maybe we can post them.

For who: Our classes and social dance events are for everyone of all races, ages, religions affiliations, genders and orientations of affection. That includes singles, couples, same-gender couples, seniors, the disabled (wheelchair dancers), youth (including pre-school enrolled along with their parents through high school), and the seeing and hearing impaired (limited ASL available. I love practicing my ASL with new deaf students). All are welcome and encouraged to attend. No dance partner, previous dance experience or specific age specifications are required. We just have a firm belief that EVERYONE should dance together! So leave the labels outside the door and get everyone "Out on the Dance Floor!"

Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun....and START HAVING IT?!!

Hurry...and start planning today to attend our upcoming
Dance-&-Learn Parties as well as our weekly Sunday
Salsa & Rueda and weekly Sunday evening Argentine Tango milongas.


Click here
(Email: TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com)

Click here for the menu to the varied topics of the
PleaseDanceWithMe.com web site

 

 

 

"You have but two options to choose from, Mister....

Either git to dancin'....

....or get out o' Dodge...."

 



BREAKING NEWS: Obama pledges to work with the military this year to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

http://www.HRC.org

In his State of the Union address, President Obama pledged to work with the Congress and military this year to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

With the President's leadership, now it is up to Congress to act. We're rolling out a new strategic campaign to do exactly that - put an end to the discriminatory law that's forced thousands of lesbian and gay members of the military to lie about who they are or face losing their jobs.

Help us capitalize on the President's pledge tonight by asking your representative and senators to move quickly to repeal DADT.

https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=670

We've spent months designing a plan to pass legislation which repeals DADT. The plan will include organizing veterans across the country, generating media coverage in key markets and building focused campaigns in targeted states that will be critical to securing the final votes in the House and Senate.

First step: pushing legislation through the House by building a well-spring of support from representatives, while laying the groundwork for a critical fight in the Senate.


Help us capitalize on the President's pledge tonight by asking your representative and senators to move quickly to repeal DADT.

when Congress returns to work, we want to make sure their inboxes are flooded with emails echoing the President's call to repeal DADT.

It's just the first step in a bold campaign to finally wipe DADT from the books this year.

The "Voices of Honor Campaign" will build on the successes of our 2009 Voices of Honor tour, where veterans toured the country speaking out against the law, garnering attention from Congress and the media, and helping us get to this moment.

Over the coming days, weeks and months, we will:

Put an on-the-ground campaign manager in key states to build diverse local coalitions, drive earned media and organize voices from within these target communities;
Organize a broad-based grassroots campaign to support our lobbying efforts;
Expand on existing efforts to organize veterans in these target states and Congressional districts to generate media attention in the local area and put additional pressure on lawmakers;
Bring veterans and other key voices to Washington, D.C. for a full day of lobbying on Capitol Hill;
And more!

It's an ambitious effort – working with our allies, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Servicemembers United – and we'll need you to play a key role if we expect to win. Today, I'm counting on you to take the first step and send an email to your representative and senators right away.

Tell Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=670

Once you send your letter, be sure to share this news with your friends and ask them to help, too.

We'll keep you updated as this campaign progresses over the coming weeks. Thank you for helping us put an end to this law, once and for all.

Let's end this now.

 Joe Solmonese
President HRC

www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org
----------------------------------------



Sen. John McCain can't keep his story straight on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

In 2006, Sen John McCain said: "The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it." McCain has said time and again that it's not about what he thinks, it's about what military leaders think – but now he is just digging in his heels in opposition.

Top military leaders now oppose "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", including – the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and even Gen. Colin Powell – who have all came out with statements in favor of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." They have now made it clear that lesbians and gays should no longer have to endure this rediculous insult to their integrity (my words...not theirs...they're more politically correct than I am when it comes to this discriminatory 'divide-and-conquer' nonsense) and lie about who they are in order to serve their country.

But Sen. McCain is now blatantly ignoring them – and giving in to the pressure by the far right wingers to receive their political support by leading the charge to keep lesbians and gays from openly serving in the military.

The sad part is that opposing equality is a cold political calculation for Sen. McCain. Faced with a tough upcoming election, McCain has become poster boy for anti-equality groups – first he did all he could to stand in the way of hate crimes legislation, which passed in spite of him, and now he's emerged as the Senate's biggest cheerleader for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Watch a video of Sen. McCain's flip flop – then tell him to listen to our top military leaders and end this discriminatory law!

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Advocacy?id=689&pagename=homepage


Sticking by this law now means second-guessing the military's top leaders. Yet that's exactly what Sen. McCain is doing. What does he know about military effectiveness that General Powell, Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen and the Commander in Chief don't?

McCain is willing to go back on his word and ignore the 75% of Americans and even 58% of Republicans who now support a repeal of this law. That's a sign of how committed our opposition is and just how tough the fight in Congress will be.

Even McCain's wife, Cindy and daughter, Meghan are openly and aggressively opposing his view on this and other anti-gay legislation such as Proposition H8 in California.

PHOTO: Cindy McCain Joins Project Protesting Prop 8
First Posted: 01-20-10
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/cindy-mccain-noh8-photo-m_n_430004.html

McCain's daughter Meghan McCain -- a vocal proponent of marriage equality -- posed for NOH8 last summer. (Her Daily Beast piece explaining why she posed can be found here.)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-06-19/why-i-posed-against-prop-8/?cid=hp:beastoriginalsR2

Will you join me in challenging Sen. McCain to live up to his own words? Just use this link and fill out a very brief request to give the respect and consideration to all military personnel.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Advocacy?id=689&pagename=homepage

Ask John McCain to please live up to his own words and Tell him that he can't have it both ways – if he stands by his principles, he must respect the wishes of our military leaders.

As Admiral Mullen said on Tuesday, "For me, it comes down to integrity." Right now, I couldn't agree more.

Let's put this insulting anti-gay law behind us and in the history books, where it belongs.

Thanks for your help.
~ Terry Chasteen

www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

--------------------------------Please forward this message to your compassionate friends and family members---------------

Hello, everyone,

Below is an issue that I cannot overlook regarding the continued discrimination against gay and lesbian professionals in our military. If you haven't seen this video yet of Sen. John McCain completely contradicting himself on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," please check it out by means of the link below.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Advocacy?id=689&pagename=homepage

Our top military leaders -- the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense and even Gen. Colin Powell -- have now made it clear that lesbians and gays should no longer have to lie and keep silent about their personal lives and about who they are in order to serve their country.

But McCain -- who has said time and again that it's not about what he thinks, it's about what military leaders think -- is just digging in his heels in opposition.

The sad part is that opposing equality is a cold political calculation for Sen. McCain. Faced with a tough upcoming election, McCain has become poster boy for anti-equality groups – first he did all he could to stand in the way of hate crimes legislation, which passed in spite of him, and now he's emerged as the Senate's biggest cheerleader for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

This is all just another discriminitory 'divide-and-conquer' tactic against a minority by certain politicians to stir up unnecessary fear and mistrust for the sake of their own agendas of advancing themselves. Look at how they used the fear of gay marriage to squeeze out the votes against Al Gore in the 2004 elections and then look at the economic mess that we're in because of it. A mess that we will all be paying for for decades to come. My hope is that America has finally awakened to these unscrupulous tactics for the sake of money and power and greed, but from the looks of things there are those in politics who think otherwise.


Even Senator McCain's own wife and daughter have become devoted advocates of eliminating the discrimination VS same-gender marriage and all other such practices in spite of the potential repercussions of John's position in the Republican party (visit http://www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org for information on this and many other discriminatory practices alive and well in America today).

Many other countries have been accepting gay and lesbian personnel in their military for years and it's time that America wake up to the damage that this has caused by unnecessarily dismissing valuable personnel, including thousands of highly trained individuals who are vitally important to our security after spending millions of tax payer dollars to train them.

Will you join me in challenging Sen. McCain to live up to his own words? Just use this link and fill out a very brief request to give the respect and consideration to all military personnel.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/site/Advocacy?id=689&pagename=homepage

Thanks for your help.
~ Your name

www.EqualityJusticeForAll.org

 

----------------------------------

 

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URGENT: Prison or death for LGBT Ugandans!

"Homosexuals can forget about human rights."

- James Nsaba Buturo, Uganda’s Minister of Ethics and Integrity

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Uganda urgently need your help.

In a country where homosexuality is already illegal, where violent attacks are common and rape is used to 'cure' people of their sexual orientation – a shocking new law has been proposed that would make homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment or even death.

You may have been following this story already. HRC and other groups have been working on the issue with US officials since October. But with Uganda's Parliament about to return to session, we need your help to launch a nationwide call to get Congress involved.

Write Congress immediately to demand that America leads a strong and immediate international response to stop this law. Save LGBT Ugandans from a mass death sentence!

https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=655

Here's what led to this urgent situation: last March, three American right-wing extremists, posing as "experts" on homosexuality, led a conference in Uganda where they claimed that gay men prey upon teenagers, that there is a gay agenda to destroy families, and that gay people can and should be changed to straight.

Then, in October, Uganda's legislature introduced a bill making homosexual acts punishable by death and failure to report them punishable by jail time.

Though the three extremists have tried to distance themselves from this homicidal bill, they can't. They spread lies, posing as "experts," then urged that LGBT people be treated differently based on those lies. That's fomenting hatred – pure and simple.

These Americans have put LGBT Ugandans – and those who care about them – in grave peril. We have a responsibility, as Americans, to protect them.

President Obama has already denounced the law in a written statement. But given the incredible danger that LGBT Ugandans are facing, we must urge him to do more.

We also must send a clear message to Uganda's President: if this bill becomes law, it will have a chilling effect on both human rights and the relationship between our countries.

The next step is a strong, unified effort by Congress to demand decisive action from both men.

Write Congress today and urge them to stop Uganda from passing a mass death sentence for its LGBT citizens.

Then be sure to spread the word. The more people we can get to write to Congress, the more powerful our message will be.

Thank you for standing up for our brothers and sisters in Uganda at this critical moment.

In solidarity,


Joe Solmonese
President HRC

------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...

As one who has always had an opinion on most topics and likewise has never felt comfortable keeping them to myself, I have decided to include one of my favorite ("and most opinionated") sections of the "DC DanceSport News" as a separate page on this web site entitled "Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT..." and so express my sometimes twisted opinions around the world. I can do that in America...the land of the free. The first few articles are out and I'd LLOOOVVVE to have YOUR OPINION...I might even post it on the following section that I call ....Nobody asked for their opinions either...BUT...

1. The world-wide war on drugs...as much as we in America hate to admit the real truth about the drug wars, the fault and the real problem of illegal drugs belongs to no one else but "US" (U.S.)....

2. To Teach Well or Not To Teach well...That is the Question...A three-part article by Terry "Shakespeare" Chasteen and published in the bi-monthly American Ballroom Dancers' Association Magazine in 2002 (now USA Dance).

3. The reasons why I look forward to and just LLOOOVVE teaching my beginner wedding couples..

4. "Out and About in Washington DC" - links to valuable information about our Nation's Capitol,
including sight-seeing, entertainment, museums, transportation, media, sports, schools, hotels, etc.

5. Regarding religion and government

6. A tribute to Steve Irwin:

7. Terry Chasteen's bio

8. Black History Month - February 2007 featuring the Nicholas Brothers and Frankie Manning.

9. The discriminatory remarks by the Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace are not only unquestionably inappropriate but also damaging to the morale and productivity of the thousands of gay and lesbian service members who are both presently in or are planning to join the armed forces....

10. A Sharp Drop in Gays Discharged From Military Tied to War Need
By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer
The number of homosexuals discharged from the U.S. military under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy dropped significantly in 2006, according to Pentagon figures released yesterday -- leading critics to charge that the military is retaining gay men and lesbians because it needs them in a time of war.

11. MY PICKS for the ®Oscars, 2007 ...

12. A Congressional Gold Medal salute to the Tuskegee Air Men...even though it just happens to be almost 6 decades too late....

13. July 4th, 2007...WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE...FOR ALL?...

14. Re: An email from Mein.

15. A complement from my brother (well one of my brothers...I have 3...and yes the 4 of us baby boomers were only 5 years apart...poor "Mom" in those days!)

16. The Reverend Ted Haggard...don't forgive him - accept him for what he is.....

17. Loyalty:
Those who have a real concern for you would never abandon you in the first place...


18 . Pit bull or pig? Public Forum Letter - (The Salt Lake Tribune, Thursday, Sept 11, 2008)

19. From the prepared remarks of President-elect Barack Obama for his election right victory speech at Chicago's Grant Park...

20. Grammy Award winner and breast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge speaks out on California's Porposition 8 on marriage for same-gender couples..



21. Terry's brief movie debut in Chris Rock's "Head Of State"

22.
Terry's "even more brief" experience in the Oscar®-winning major motion picture "Syriana" with George Clooney, Geoffrey Wright, Amanda Peet and and Matt Damon

Question:

What do George Clooney
,

King Kong ,

Matt Damon

and Terry Chasteen have in common?...

 



23. Watch the videos and learn the "Michael Jackson's Thriller"dance routine......
(...but only for those who will even DARE to take the risk!...).

Visit two more of my highly-opinionated awareness projects at:

24. www.StopDisabledAbuse.org

25. www.StopAllCellPhoneDriving.org


26. The DC Council has recently introduced a same-gender mariage bill;
do those people honestly believe that they deserve the same rights and privelages as everyone else? (My opinion below)


27. The Yuletide Ball DanceSport Championships and New Year's Eve Gala, Dec 31 - Jan 3, 2010 (click here)

28. "No one can intimidate you unless you allow them to"

Also,...Nobody asked for their opinions either...BUT...

A. Quotes regarding discrimination by John F. Kennedy

B. A complement from DC...

C. A complement from the Miss Adams Morgan Pageant...

D. An observation by Christopher Reeve about some of us who are able-bodied shortly before his untimely death...

E. A MIRAMAX synopsis of "Shall We Dance?".

F. Homosexuals -- Are they REALLY destroying the institution of marriage?!

G. My favorite quotes from Oprah's Mission Calendar Inspiration.

H. Wedding testimonials

 

We want YOU!! ......


to DANCE!!





 

Join us for our weekly
'SAOCO DC
Casino Rueda Extravaganza'

every Sunday from 5pm-9pm, including 2 hours of
SAOCO DC's incredibly popular Rueda Workshops for all levels of Salsa & Rueda dancers,
followed by dancing in Salsa & Rueda and all styles of Latin until 9pm
(check back for details as they become available).



Our Chevy Chase Ballroom social events include the absolute 'BEST' in dance music plus earlier mini-dance classes
for at least beginners and higher level dancers in many of the popular social dances
(Salsa, Rueda, ChaCha, Rumba, Bolero, Samba, Merengue, Cumbia, Paso Doble, Ballroom, Swing, Tango and more...).
WE ALWAYS INCLUDE...
refreshments, teacher assistance by request and PLENTY of general dancing.

You will definitely NOT want to miss these

new classes, along with other incredible dance party opportunities
available on our teaching schedule...

Newcomer thru advanced dance classes in many
social dance styles are forming now.

 

 

 

 

Please.......

...Dance with Me...

.... and my incredibly talented & professional associate teachers.

....we promise that your Dancing (and your social life...)

...will Never be The Same!

 


"Dancing with the Stars" has become THE! most watched program on National television. Join the
majority of Metropolitan washington DC again in the near future on ABC Channel 7 WJLA.



Join the majority of Metropolitan washington DC by watching
the "Battle of the Ballroom" on ABC Channel 7 WJLA on upcoming Mon & Tue evenings....

...as well as upcoming segments of
"America's Ballroom Challenge"

on PBS,

Start preparing yourself for the "Battle of the Ballroom"...
Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun and START HAVING IT?!!

(This web site is still

 

www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
 (www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.DancingWithTheDCStars.com)
the home of
 Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT & Entertainment
We offer the most professional and authentic dance entertainment available throughout Metropolitan Washington DC.
Plus we provide easy, flexible and fun instruction for the entire family in every style of social dance from around the globe
that literally ANYONE can afford (and your 1st class is FREE! with a 2-for-the-price-of-1Pass online for 1st-timers).
(Absolutely no high-pressure selling, long and expensive contracts or holding students back who can proceed faster. Our
selling point is our superior ability to teach, not sell. Use the drop-down menu above for site information)
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870

www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
www.DanceSportOfAmerica.com
www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com
www.DanceAtYourWeddingWorkshops.com
www.TangoDanceSPORT.com
www.TheDancingKidsNetwork.com
www.RedHotBallroom.net
www.MichaelJackonsThriller.com
www.Learn-to-Dance-athon.org
www.OutOnTheDanceFloor.org
(the web site for the annual "Out on The Dance Floor Charity Ball" plus monthly "So You Think You Can Dance DC" and "Dancing with the DC Stars" mini-dance competitions in all styles open to anyone ..... join us "Out on The Dance Floor")

 

Click here
for a one-page flyer of
Terry's complete dance class schedule

Click here
to print, send or give to a friend a dance class discount
"2-for-the-price-of-1 pass"
good toward any of Terry Chasteen's dance classes
when one of those attending is for their first time...

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 Dance classes, Dance-at-Your-Wedding Workshops, Red Hot Ballroom for grade school thru high school, Dance-&-Learn Parties,
Sunday Salsa & Rueda and Argentine Tango Socials, Private Dance Coaching, Ballroom, Swing, Salsa, Argentine Tango and more...

 

Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...

A. The world-wide war on drugs...as much as we hate to admit the real truth, the fault and the problem belongs to no one but "US" (U.S.)....


July 2nd, 2008 - "Until Death Do Us Part" author and former Columbian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt rescued this week after almost 6 years of being a captive of the drug cartels of that country. To the surprise of most of us, unlike what is continually being spun by America and many other developed countries, the drug wars are not the problem or the fault of those from poor 3rd world poppy-growing agricultural countries like Columbia, Chili and Afghanistan who cannot fight the money and power of the drug lords. The responsibility of the drug problem instead belongs to no one else but "us" (US) and every other supposedly-progressive country that continues to allow the spending of billions and billions of dollars for illegal drug use within their borders, while at the same time enforcing minimal repercussions to those drug users here at home. Drug users who I might add spend billions of dollars to ensure the value of those cocaine poppies which ultimately results in money that ends up in the coffers of our terrorist adversaries. Thanks only to "us" (US).
We continue to waste tons of money every year attempting to stop drug production at it's source in these economically-desperate and undeveloped countries instead of taking the bull by the horns and making the necessary corrections here at home and in other developed “narcotics-using” countries to eliminate the source of the problem. A practice which only helps to create the market for those drugs in the first place. It's much easier to point the finger at "THEM", the "have-nots" in the rest of the world for providing narcotics, than to be more diligent about stopping the problem both here at home in America and in other industrialized countries where the money and source of the problem begins. But then that might be stepping on the toes of too many of our drug-using political supporters. Something that the powers-that-be would never want to do.

After seeing the Ingrid Betancourt interview on the Today Show in an interview with Matt Lauer over 6 years ago, I posted my first article on this "highly opinionated" blog at www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com, "Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT...". The article, entitled "The world-wide war on drugs...as much as we hate to admit the real truth, the fault and the problem belongs to no one else but "US" (U.S.)...." (www.pleasedancewithme.com/myopinion.htm#drugwar) was my first insertion on this page right after I had read Ingred Bettancourt's book, "Until Death Do Us Part" about 6 months before she was kidnapped in 2002.
And now almost 6 years later after spending billions of dollars every year trying to free such prisoners from the drug cartels and to stop the drugs in other countries; finally witnessing her release, what is one of the latest of the other drug war stories on the National News Scene this very week? Answer: We are now in the process of destroying the poppy fields of the also-impoverished Afghan farmers who have no other means of making a living under the pressure and financial rewards of the taliban and Afghan drug cartels; leaving those people as well, along with Columbia and Chili and Mexico without any other means of making a living and feeding their families. Is it any wonder why so many on this earth have such hatred for America? And why they continue to support Osama Bin Laden and his followers who conveniently and thanks to "us" (US) use OUR money from the drug trade to support these people instead of destroying their livelihood as we do?
The thought processes behind this whole drug war scenario is absoluteling nothing but "Bass Ackwards" and I am amazed that after all of these years someone in this government cannot figure it out. Do you think for a minute these people, many of whom are muslim, will ever stand up and support the United States again? We create the market for this destructive illegal substance with our incredible wealth, compared to that of many other countries around the globe, and then we punish THEM for producing and making the substance available instead of punishing and putting an end to those of "us" (US) who are using it! If it wasn't for our incessant use and abuse of cocaine in America, which is causing the inflated value of this destructive illegal substance in the first place, these farmers as well as those in Columbia and Chili and every other less-developed country around the globe would be raising corn and beans and cattle and other food crops, just as their ancestors had done on those same farms for so many generations before.

...But then that is just MY OPINION...

The following article was the first one that I included on this Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT... blog at www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com back in 2002 after seeing Ingred Bettancourt's interview on the Today Show. That was about 6 months before she was kidnapped. And the problem is no more solved today than back then after spending billions of dollars every year since, only because we continue to ignore the real source of the drug problem on this planet.

A. The world-wide war on drugs...as much as we hate to admit the real truth, the fault and the problem belongs to no one but "US" (U.S.)....

Benjamin Arellano Felix, Mexico’s most ruthless of drug king pins claims after being incarcerated that the drug war is the problem of US (U.S.)......"Helllloooo, America!!....How long is it going to take for us (U.S.) to acknowledge the obvious?!!!

Do we really need the ruthless leader of a drug cartel to tell us something that we have known for years, but that we refuse to admit and address?

As our good friend, Dr Phil McGraw would say, "You cannot solve a problem if you refuse to acknowledge it". That is exactly why we have failed miserably and will continue to fail in this drug war, because WE (the U.S.) refuse to acknowledge that the drug problem is OURS; Not Columbia’s or Mexico’s or Chili’s or the problems of any of the other poor little 3rd world countries that we try to justify running around blaming for this debilitating problem. “WE” (the U.S.) are solely responsible for the drug problem, as is England, France, Germany and every other so-called "DEVELOPED" country on earth. Every country whose residents continue to dump billions and billions of dollars into the drug trade while we do little more than slap the purchasers, who are the real violators, on the wrist.

Do we think that the endless lines of automobiles attempting to bring drugs into this country every single day would bother to do so at the high risk of being caught if we weren't buying those drugs for a LOT of money? And do we think that Americans would continue to spend the billions upon billions of dollars on drugs if we had laws that have some real teeth in them? If we would fine drug-users of “ALL” types; not just those who are penniless addicts on the street, who are using street quality "crack" cocaine and not just the "non-white-collar" users but instead “ALL” users and dealers, and especially those in high places with the high-paying jobs, Mercedes and million-dollar homes. And we need to penalize them so heavily that they would quickly be out on the street and at the bottom of the financial barrel years before they have a chance to squander everything they own to the foreign drug industry? These are the people who are supporting the drug trade in a big, big way and these are the ones who are more often than not getting away with it. I'm confident that if the approach was changed, the end of the story would be a whole lot different.

As it is, however, after our American users have re-enforced the drug producers by giving them everything they own, WE (the U.S.) have to spend our tax dollars to feed and house and support them and their rehabilitation for decades later. This is truly "Bass Ackwards" (at least in my opinion). I personally am tired of everyone running around feeling sorry for the Robert Downey Jrs, the Winona Ryders, the Adam Rich’s, the Whitney Houstons and the Bobby Browns for their drug problems as they and thousands of Americans like them all over this country continue to pour billions and billions of their dollars into the pockets of those who we're supposedly trying to combat, while at the same time, very little is done in this country to stop the users years in advance of their final plummet into submission. Submission which comes only after they’ve finally reached the bottom of the barrel in their individual lives. And that bottom of the barrel is usually highly associated with reaching the bottom of the financial barrel. With more money available where that came from there's little reason to bite the bullet and make any kind of change.

It's a known fact that addicts have to individually WANT to kick the habit before any proposed treatment is ever going to be effective. And what more often than not makes them WANT to kick the habit is being at the bottom of their existence before that desire ever kicks in. I can't think of anything that would speed that process up more than their being made dirt poor and practically out on the streets years before it would happen naturally under today’s laws and circumstances.

If the drug possession laws were made to be serious and if the courts would take a major portion of everything a drug-user owns every time they're caught (except for maybe the first-time offenders) we might have something left over after all is said and done to support and rehabilitate them once they hit rock bottom. Instead we let them send most of the money from everything they've ever owned; from selling their swimming pools and Mercedes and million dollar homes right into the hands of the drug dealers and terrorists after which we (the tax payers) have to come up with more money to fight those same drug lords. This all happens as we eventually spend still even MORE money for the users' rehabilitation and care. Is it any wonder why we haven't made and never will make any progress concerning this problem?

I guarantee there would be a lot of us (in the U.S.) who would think twice about our actions if we might be stripped of much of what we own upon conviction of drug possession and use. And if we didn't change our ways, at least the government could use what used to be our belongings to pay for the ultimate drug treatment and room & board down the road before they have a chance to dump it into the hands of the cartels.

But then that would be politically incorrect and much more demanding of us (U.S.) than the present practice of standing by and watching millions of dollars being spent and millions of pounds of drugs being brought into this country every year while we blame those who produce them instead of those are really responsible. Namely those of us (U.S.) who buy and use them. It's easier to spend billions and billions of dollars running around fighting the Columbians and Brazilians and Mexicans as opposed to leaving that money right here in this country and using it to crack down on the real culprits, namely us (U.S.), for our involvement in what could easily someday destroy this wonderful country of ours. For politicians to get serious in this dilemma, for instance, they may have to confront the possibility that many of those drug users vote....and DONATE TO CAMPAIGNS!...in which case it may be better to think of someone else to blame than to possibly alienate part of their own source of funds and voting constituency.

Another problem in America is that too many of us (in the U.S.) would be determining the fate of too many of us (in the U.S.) whom we know to be drug-users and who we don't have the intestinal fortitude (in other words, the guts) to address the problem to. It's so much easier to just keep spending the tax money and keeping the drug wars "Over there" so we won't have to face the real problem head-on "here". We'll supply the money and let the Columbian drug squads get shot and killed over the problem. That way our little once-in-awhile use of drugs or those of our cocaine-sniffing friends can go unnoticed and we (U.S.) can live happily-ever-after. Regardless of the fact that every ounce purchased by us (U.S.) and our drug-using friends will continue to fill the coffers of "those who are supposedly to blame"...Which is certainly not US (U.S.)!

To be honest, we really don't have to be users to be susceptible to blame. We're just as guilty when we sit on our hands and know friends and relatives who openly use drugs in front of us as we look the other way, instead of doing what SHOULD be done. Namely, making it instantly known that we either expect such actions to stop and they will get help or the authorities will be involved much sooner than anyone ever thought possible. That is referred to as "Tough Love", and sometimes it has to be shown, regardless of how difficult it might be. How many of us have sat and heard people bragging about how high they got on cocaine the other night, only to look the other way and ignore the remark. Or worse yet, laugh at their actions as though it was cool and totally acceptable even when we feel undoubtedly that it is wrong? I guarantee you...none of those who really know me personally and my feelings on this matter ever gloat about drug use in my presence. And if they ever do, it only happens once. I'm not bragging about that, it's just a fact. I have never been shy about offering my opinion on such matters. Especially when I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my opinion is right, fair and just to everyone. And that such actions will eventually be devastating to the well-being of all of us in this country if they continue. I wish more people in America, including and especially our politicians who can have an effect on this problem, would accept such a responsibility on a much more regular basis.

I know what you're thinking..."It's really none of your business. We don't have the right to depict to other people what they can and cannot do".......wrong!... We "DO" have the right "AND" the responsibility to show our disapproval. Especially when it involves people breaking the laws and doing what we know will accomplish the eventual demise of this magnificent country that we are so fortunate to live in. A demise which is imminent if this problem continues at the rate that it now is. If someone is committing pedophilia or extortion or domestic abuse, we DO have the responsibility to do something about it. If not, we're just as guilty as the perpetrators. Drug use is no different.

Sooner or later each one of us is going to have to take more responsibility and demonstrate some effort in the rampant problem of drug use in this country before it's too late. But if we aren't going to accept that responsibility then we need to at least quit sending all of the money that we send to other countries and quit pretending like it's ever going to do anyone but the hard-core drug world any good. Because it isn't going to do anyone else any good until we get our heads out of.........the sand.

The sad truth is that too much of that anti-drug money ends up in the hands of corrupt politicians in the receiving countries who play the anti-drug role, but who are just as involved in the incredibly lucrative drug trade as those on the street. (Again..it's .incredibly lucrative only because of us [U.S.]).

In her book "Until Death do us Part" once Columbian Senator and Presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt was living in fear and constant danger because she persisted in revealing that too many in the Columbian government were also involved in the drug trade; thus making it impossible to prevent much of the American assistance from going right into the coffers of the enemy. In an interview with Matt Lauer much earlier this year, Mrs Betancourt openly pleaded with the U.S. to continue sending financial assistance to curtail the drug industry in Columbia. I couldn't help thinking as I sat there watching the interview how she must've been fighting within herself not to make the politically incorrect, but obvious plea "And just as importantly, could you please take some responsibility in this country to stop the damned selfish American drug use that is destroying many of the less fortunate countries on this earth?". That would have truly alienated those whose assistance she was begging for, but at the same time would have hit the nail of reality right on the head.

Let's face it; there's so much money in this (thanks to who?...U.S., no less) that in these countries, you're either going to be involved "or else". Contracts are easy to take out on people in Columbia and Brazil and Mexico when you have that much money and power. Contracts which they often did take out on Ingrid Betancourt quite often. The courageous woman actually sent her children to New Zealand with her husband’s family to prevent their possible assassination over 6 years ago in '96 because of her constantly exposing the corrupt Columbian government in it's involvement in the drug trade. And once again, so that we don't forget, whose fault is that?...The real fault that they have all of that money and power belongs to no one but the ones who buy the drugs in the first place. Not those who produce the drugs, but the ones who buy them....us (U.S.).

All of those poppy fields in Columbia and Brazil used to be family farms once upon a time; raising grain and chickens and pigs and milk for family use. No longer...thanks to us (U.S.). Family farmers can no longer afford to keep such property even if they did want to farm it because the drug cartels can make so much more money in the drug trade. And once again, whose fault is that? Not the once-upon-a-time family farmers whose land was stripped from them; not the general population of Columbia, many of whom are all but destitute and couldn't afford to buy drugs even if they wanted to. No the blame for all of this belongs to no one but us (U.S.). But those in control in this country continue to point the finger to everyone else in other countries all over the world while we continue to completely shirk our responsibilities in dealing with the matter right here at home the way we should.

If we stopped pretending that everyone else is to blame for this problem and if we decided to put some teeth in our American drug laws by stripping those who are abusers until they do something about it, and keep that money here in the United States to fight the problem at its core, we would not only save enough money to be able to pay for aggressive actions against drug use in this country (once we have the guts to pass the necessary laws), as well as rehabilitation of abusers, but we could also save enough money to pay for the much needed prescription drug relief for senior citizens, social security for the next ten generations, education in ALL of our public schools, health care for the poor and any number of other programs with the incredible amount of money we throw away on the drug wars elsewhere.

I cannot help bringing up a classic statement made by retiring Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn) as he played the character of Arthur Branch on a "Law and Order" episode. In response to the suggestion of ending the drug wars Senator Thompson stated "Without a war on something, people wouldn't get elected". How true that is. But still we continue to fall for that same tactic by our politicians generation after generation, instead of demanding that they do what is necessary to eliminate some of these obvious problems. Which in this case are to admit that the drug war is here at home and that this is where we need to address it. Instead, however, of addressing the one real issue that may very well cause the demise of this whole country, we're too busy fighting over who can and can't get married to each other, what sexual practices they're allowed and whether the cultivation and use of amoeba-like stem cells (which are no closer to ever being human beings than the man-in-the-moon) are more important than the hundreds and thousands of people who might ultimately be cured of their debilitating diseases from stem cell research. These are the rediculous things that we spend our time on in the courts, in spite of the fact that they should all be no-brainers in the first place. This country needs to get away from the problem of certain groups and individuals trying to control everybody else and what they do in their own lives and start dealing with the real issues that we're too conveniently ignoring. Issues that require nothing less than good common sense to resolve. Those are the practices that will affect us all, over time. And they're ignoring them because it's easier to ignore them and not have to point the finger and risk making enemies of those right here at home who are often the very wealthy abusers who fill our re-election coffers (another major problem in this country, campaign finance reform which I don't even have the time to even begin to address without about a month or two) and give us power and keep us in office.

Again, addressing the situation is not an easy task. WE (the U.S.) would have to make an honest effort to step on certain people's toes and do the things that must be done right here on our own turf to put an end to this incredible problem. Not just insisting on spending a bunch of money for what is nothing more than a front for avoiding the real situation in this country. WE (the US) are the problem and WE (the US) know it...and someday if it is ever going to be brought under control, WE (US) will need to face the facts and deal with them. In the meantime, we refuse to even acknowledge ourselves as the actual cause of the problem...and under such circumstances I am convinced that it will NEVER EVER change.

...But then that's just my opinion...

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If all you ever do, is all you've ever done; then all you'll ever get, is all you ever had...
Don't just WATCH Dancing with the Stars... get off the couch and BECOME ONE!!!
"Out on the Dance Floor!!"

 

The most

reality show on National TV


 

Visit the

'Dancing with the Stars'
Photo Gallery


Season 7, 2008


And in the meantime...don't just WATCH
Dancing with the Stars
.... BECOME ONE!!
by attending our classes, Dance-at-Your-Wedding workshops,
Sunday Salsa & Argentine Tango Socials and Dance-&-Learn Parties and more....

 

Dancing with the Stars
Season 7 begins once again on ABC.
Click on the graphic below to link to the official site of
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?!!
Yes, we know you can!!!...
and we'll prove it!!!

 

Whether it's from watching
 "America's Ballroom Challenge"

on PBS,


"So you Think You Can Dance"
on FOX,

DANCE WAR

and
"Dancing with the Stars"
on ABC,
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Metropolitan Washington DC is definitely becoming a city of
BALLROOM, LATIN, TANGO, HIP HOP & SWING DANCING...

...now is the time for YOU to
"BECOME ONE OF THOSE STARS"...
"Out on The Dance Floor"!....

Isn't it time to STOP WATCHING all the fun....and START HAVING IT?!!

 

 



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Newcomer thru advanced dance classes in many
social dance styles are forming now.

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Please Dance With Me...

 

B. To Teach Well or Not To Teach Well...That is the question...By Terry Shakespeare Chasteen.

(The following is a three-part article in it's entirety, written by Terry Chasteen and published in the Amateur Ballroom Dancers Magazine, The official publication of the Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (now USA Dance), in 2002).

Terry Chasteen, Washington DC
TerryChasteen@hotmail.com
202-462-0870
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com

Part I of III: Finding a Compatible Teacher

As we travel throughout this "Wonderful World of Dance", that we have all gotten ourselves so deeply involved in, one commonality that we all realize very early in the process is that we all need and require training. Training that ultimately will enable us to do the many fun and wonderful things that we have made up our minds that we want to do. This brings up the complication right from the beginning of where and from whom should we get that training.

Choosing the right teacher, for most of us who are really serious about this magnificent sport, is initially an important dilemma, just as choosing the right doctors or dentists or other professionals who affect our lives. It involves a whole lot more than just reading a list of accomplishments in an ad or seeing someone perform in a competition or exhibition. The doctor who may have graduated summa cum laude may not necessarily be the compassionate, empathetic person who is going to take the necessary measures to listen to and understand our medical needs. Likewise, the accomplished performers may know how to perform, but may not have the knowledge or ability to project that ability to their students. You want an individual who will take the time and make the effort to really click with your individual needs. The choice of a dance coach requires that same level of attention if one really wants to continue to be inspired and motivated to continue the often hard work that dancing really is.

The positive motivations that a person has to teach dance (or to teach anything for that matter) is often an important consideration in how good a coach really is. These motivations can be very important in choosing a teacher and likewise, such motivations can be as varied as the types of subjects that are available to be taught.

For some people, teaching is an art. These people are not much different than the artists who take a rough, insignificant lump of clay or a piece of canvas and with time and concentration are able to gradually take that rough, unbalanced, insignificant and not so extraordinary piece of dirt or canvas and mold or transform it into a masterpiece. A masterpiece that has balance and timing and animation and an over-all beauty that could hardly be seen in the original product, not to mention the presence and bold confidence that such a transformation brings to light. Much of this motivation is that of successful mutual achievement.

These transformations are a challenge that take time and concentration in relaying minute technique and styling procedures again and again. Many good teachers only wish to work with more experienced clientelle which eliminates the need to start from scratch. Others, however take great pleasure in working with brand new students who are originally very insecure and unsure of why they are even attempting this intimidating dance thing in the first place and transforming them into highly confident and passionate beings about their newly discovered talent. Beings who are particularly passionate when it comes to this newly discovered sport that enables them to interpret and respond in a brand new way to the music that they have loved for so many years.

This, in addition to witnessing the incredible increase in enjoyment of life in general for those students who have taken the dance plunge, is in itself quite a pay-back for whatever time such teachers have spent in the process. It's quite a determining factor regardless of the financial return in all cases, of whether one is a true professional in this field or one who merely teaches for the money as is the case in many (not all) big name chain corporations. There are many motivations in most occupations other than instant financial gratification, which by itself is a pretty shallow means of judging someone's success or personal satisfaction in any profession.
--------------------------------------
Next issue, Part II of III, "Other Motivations to Teach."

To Teach Well or Not To Teach Well...That is the question....by Terry Shakespeare Chasteen (A three-part article published in the bi-monthly Amateur Ballroom Dancers' Association Magazine in 2002. For issue #141 of The Amateur Ballroom Association Magazine).

Terry Chasteen, Washington DC
TerryChasteen@hotmail.com
202-462-0870
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com

Part II of III: "Other Motivations to Teach."

In the last issue, the benefits and some of the positive motivations of an attentive, professionally competent teacher were discussed. However, there are other motivations for wanting to teach.

Some people just like the idea of the personal control that goes along with teaching. It's an ego trip and it gives the one in charge the opportunity to demand everyone's attention, even if for only a short period of time. For some people, they just need that boost to their personal sense of well-being. We've all had them at one time or another in classes. They speak way above the necessary volume needed for anyone to hear, they talk down to everyone like they're a bunch of rowdy kids or misbehaving pets and they remind you of an out-of-control drill sergeant who has just finished 3 months of boot camp. You usually don't find such a motivation to teach in small classes, however, because small classes don't provide the sense of power and controlling people that such a motivation for bothering to teach requires.

Another all-too-common motivation for becoming a dance teacher is that it gives one a chance to "Grand-stand" and show off in a personally controlled environment at least once or twice a week. Again we've seen this phenomenon in certain dance classes. It's most obvious when you hear the statement "look at me", "look at me", "watch me" far too often during the short span of the class period. Or the teacher who not only demonstrates the material being taught (which can definitely be effective in getting the amalgamation across), but who goes way overboard demonstrating drops, aerials, lifts and other figures that are much more difficult than the present group of students are ever going to attempt for at least the next decade. Such activities may provide a short-term feeling of amazement, but they also make the brand new beginners want to run in the other direction at full speed for fear that someone will expect them to attempt such a thing if they stick around. Or worse yet, condemn them for rightfully "not" attempting it.

The above two examples are obviously not indications of a true professional in the field of teaching, but rather of someone who really has controlling, egocentric and attention-getting ulterior motives for taking on this endeavor in the first place. Consequently when we run across individuals who display such characteristics, it is probably best to keep looking.

Lastly we need to discuss one of the most important aspects of teaching and that is whether teaching is a profession or a hobby.

Far too often those who claim to have all the answers in this world of dance are not at all professional in the field, but rather have their 9 to 5 jobs elsewhere. Their car payments and living expenses are covered whether they insult or disenfranchise or offend or scare half to death those who attend their classes or not. They are often only out for the big once-a-week events that take advantage of the dance community that's already out there. They have little interest in going beyond the call of duty to make some of the less lucrative, but necessary efforts to help "create" a dance community. Such "teachers" don't realize (or care) that some students don't always want a larger more social event. They are not concerned that many brand new students are often intimidated by such an environment for awhile and need the smaller, more intimate studio environment before they would ever get involved in dancing to begin with.
---------------------------------------
Next issue, Part III of III, "Part-time or Hobby Teachers."

To Teach Well or Not To Teach Well...That is the question....by Terry Shakespeare Chasteen (for issue #142 of The Amateur Ballroom Association Magazine).

Terry Chasteen, Washington DC
TerryChasteen@hotmail.com
202-462-0870
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com

Part III of III: "Part-time or Hobby Teachers."

In the last issue, we considered several different motivations for anyone wanting to become a teacher in the first place, as well as some problems concerned with teaching on a part-time, non-professional basis.

Students definitely have a need for both an intimate studio environment as well as a more lively social environment, ultimately. Those teachers who have never really taught professionally, however, have a more difficult time understanding this. Again, they're all-too-often more concerned about milking the larger crowd that's already there and picking up and moving on to "greener pastures" (my farm background is beginning to show) once the original crowd becomes tired of their tactics and disappears back down to nothing.

Of those students who want the extra attention of a small class and not necessarily the larger, louder, less intimate night club environment; for many of them the objectives in all of this (believe it or not) is to actually LEARN as much as they can about their new sport before actually going out and using it in public. Such learning does not necessarily require a large number of others in the class. In fact, the smaller, more intimate classes afford those present a lot more individual attention. Individual attention which for brand new beginners can mean the difference between night and day as to whether the first experience is a positive one.

Too many of the "once-a-week wonders", however, have a hard time understanding this. Their objective, once again, is to cash in on the big social events and not necessarily to provide the optimal learning experience that is often needed to truly promote the dance industry.

Let me interject one thing, however, before I give the wrong impression. And that is that there are also a number of very good teachers out there who do make the bulk of their living outside of the teaching industry and may only teach on a part-time basis. That in itself is not necessarily an indication of the professionalism of the person involved. I, myself have been teaching since I began with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Columbus, Ohio back in 1974 (before many of you were born, I might add) and have taught for a major part of that 28 years on a part-time basis. I feel that I have conducted myself in as much of a professional manner as I was trained for during that time.

Likewise I have also known numerous other part-time instructors who continually show a tremendous amount of professionalism and passion about this art of teaching. For this reason I don't mean to indicate that those who teach part-time necessarily conduct themselves in an unprofessional manner. Regrettably, however, some of them do (as do some of the full-timers).

Knowing and realizing the many different reasons that people teach in the first place, as well as understanding that the best "Dancers" don't necessarily make the best "Teachers" can possibly make this process of who to train with a little easier. My suggestion, more than anything else is to keep your eyes open and be aware of whose students are continually motivated and challenged in their progress. Choose the teacher who really puts out a consistently superior product.

And don't necessarily be influenced to stick to only one. Sometimes we have to try several, just as we try several doctors, to determine which one (or ones) might be right for us.

...But then that's just my opinion....

Terry Chasteen, Washington DC
TerryChasteen@hotmail.com
202-462-0870
www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com

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Plan to attend our weekly
Sunday Salsa & Rueda and
Argentine Tango Socials
the weekly Sunday Salsa & Rueda, Argentine Tango, Brazilian Samba and Ballroom & Swing Social Party graphic
dancing from 7pm-11:00pm with Sunday classes in all styles from 12:00 noon onward
followed by both Salsa & Rueda and Argentine Tango dancing & more by request.

C. I just LLOOOVVE teaching my wedding couples..and here's why....

Some of those who have been teaching for three decades or more as I have, only enjoy working with our more advanced students who after years of training and drilling are now ready for the big time. Not quite Broadway, yet, but close. They often get somewhat bored with starting over and teaching brand new beginners from scratch. Naturally it is fun to take students that you've worked so hard with over the years and now go on to showcase all of that hard work and put it on stage. But I have to say that I also LOVE teaching beginners and especially the unending line-up of wedding couples who come through the door each month, most of whom are almost always brand, brand new beginners and who have rarely, if at all, danced in a structured manner with their partners before.

It’s great to see the young couples drag each other through the door for that first meeting, kicking and screaming (usually it’s the guys who are doing most of the kicking and screaming) wondering why they have to go through this torture as part of the marriage process. But they reluctantly agree to do so, knowing full well that having no advanced preparation at all could result in a major disaster right there in front of all of their friends and family, God And Everyone! Since the grooms-to-be have often not had the ballet, jazz, modern or tap training that most of the brides-to-be have had growing up, this to them is just another example of having to face head-on one of those both horrifying and frightening journeys into the unknown. The fun part begins when the bride-grooms discover that with just a little preparation, this could possibly not only be much easier than they ever thought, but they also realize that it can actually be FUN! And in no time at all it becomes apparent that for the first time since the relationship began, they are now all-of-a-sudden completely “IN CONTROL”! A phenomenon that they had never before (and probably never will again) experienced where their future bride is concerned!

And once this process begins, everyone soon gets eagerly into the excitement of making what was feared as being another one of those frightfully boring performances of “The Sway” into an extremely fun and entertaining little exhibition that is personalized to a "T" for those choosing the music and dancing to it. A performance that each couple soon realizes that all of their guests will not only appreciate, but will probably remember for years and years to come. With just a little professional experience and guidance and some ideas to fit their chosen music, the most dreaded part of this whole wedding process, The "Honor Dance", has now become one of the most fun and often ultimately the most memorable.

I’ve always said that after the wedding, most of the guests will never remember the decorations, or the flowers, or the color of the bride’s maids’ gowns or what was served for dinner, etc, etc, etc. But they will “always” remember the “First Dance”. (And if they don’t, there are plenty of photographs and videos to remind us of how fun [or not-so-fun] it was).

This is also what makes these little projects so much fun for me. For some of us, teaching is an art. And the art of a teacher is not much different than the art of those who take a rough lump of clay or a piece of canvas and with time and concentration and a little professional experience and input are able to gradually take that rough, unbalanced, insignificant and not-so-extraordinary natural resource and transform it into something with balance and timing and animation and an over-all beauty that could hardly in the slightest degree be recognized in the original. Which is why I look forward to and LOVE working with all of the brand new beginner wedding couples. Especially when they take on this task early enough so that we don't have to rush through it within a week or less in time.

Almost every single weekend out of the year, I and my associate teachers (who sometimes cover for me when I get behind in being able to schedule everyone in) have wedding couples who spread out all across the US and often around the globe to perform their "First Dance" together and to demonstrate what they've worked so hard at in preparation for this incredibly important celebration in their lives. The biggest reward for me comes after the event is over and I receive an Email or message on my voice mail of how much fun their guests had watching them and how much everyone really appreciated their performance. How it was almost like a gift to them from the bride and groom. A response that always makes me laugh and one that I've received time and time again and will never tire of.

 

 


'Dance-at-Your-Wedding Workshops' will take place every Sat at 11:30am (followed by social Ballroom & Latin), Sun at 1:30pm and Tues at 7:15pm throughout the year, in addition to private coaching available any day of the week by appointment. Numerous additional drop-in classes in Ballroom, Salsa & the Latin dances, Tango, Swing & more are available during the week and on weekends to perfect the technique and basic in the social dances in general to save time and make your private coaching appointments for your first dance more productive. In addition we have weekly and monthly social dance events and practice opportunities (which always have teachers available for your assistance) to learn more patterns and to perfect those that you my have already learned in class or during your private coaching. In spite of what a lot of the major dance corporations insist, you needn't spend a fortune to put on a "Knock-out" First Dance performance at your wedding. Contact and RSVP at Terry@DanceAtYourWeddingWorkshops.com.

 

 

Give a gift certificate of Ballroom, Latin & Swing dance...
for a gift that will last a lifetime...
and one that gives again and again, every time the music starts to play...

(We also have some great Dance Birthday Party possibilities every Sunday and on the 4th Saturday of each month)

 

 

Join us for upcoming classes and Dance-&-Learn Parties, including Dance-at-Your-Wedding Workshops, performances by "The Dancing Kids' Network"
and weekly Sunday Salsa & Rueda and Brazilian Samba Socials and Argentine Tango milongas.

All of our social events, which always include
some type of training for beginners, are a GREAT way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other special
events at no extra cost to you! We'll have several teachers available throughout the night to help get
every one of your family and friends dancing (plus the birthday boy, girl or it gets in free!). Click here
or contact TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com,
202-462-0870.


Hurry...and start planning today to attend our upcoming
Dance-&-Learn Parties & Argentine Tango milongas as well as our weekly Sunday
Salsa & Rueda and weekly Sunday evening Argentine Tango milongas.
Contact TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.net,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com,
202-462-0870.

 

 

Click here for a one-page flyer of
Terry's complete dance class schedule

Click here for a one-page flyer of
Terry's complete list of Ballroom & Swing classes

Click here for a one-page flyer of
Terry's complete list of Salsa classes

For some great practice opportunities in your dancing:

Click here to print or send a one-page flyer on the Friday or Saturday evening
Salsa, Ballroom, Tango, Hustle & Swing "Dance-&-Learn Parties"
to include mini-classes and dancing at the Chevy Chase Ballroom

Click here to print or send a one-page flyer on the
Early Sunday evening Salsa on 2 "Sunday Salsa Social" classes & dancing
with Terry & Abdul Al-Ali at the Chevy Chase Ballroom

Click here to print or send a one-page flyer for the next
Chevy Chase Ballroom Showcase
including professional & amateur performances, refreshments, plenty of general
dancing and a free beginner mini-lesson in Salsa & Swing.

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D.

"Out and About in Washington DC"
with links to valuable information about our Nation's Capitol,
including sight-seeing, entertainment, museums, transportation, media, etc

 

If you are a U.S. citizen and want to contact your Congressional Representatives or Senators here's how to find their email addresses:

For the Senate:
www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For the House:
www.house.gov/writerep/

Select any of the following links for information about Metropolitan Washington DC:

Attractions and Sight-seeing
Colleges and Universities
Theatres and Entertainment
Restaurants and Dining
Federal and DC Government
Hotels
Museums and Galleries
Local Media (Newspapers and Magazines plus Radio and TV Stations)
Schools
Sports
Transportation

The above links are for the convenience of visiters to www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com. This web site and Terry Chasteen Dance Instruction do not guarantee any of the information or services provided by those sites associated with the above links.

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"Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT..."

E. Keeping religion out of government

I believe it's a misunderstanding that those who insist that religion be kept out of government in this country do so because these people are against religion and/or God as many of the religious right try to portray. What they're against is all of those who insist that THEIR religion and beleifs, whatever that religion is, should be forced down the throats of everyone else just because this is America and America was founded by Christians. I'm sorry, but government is no place for such a concept when there are many more than just Christians in this country (and I was born and raised and still am a Christian, though the way some of us Christians act, I am often reluctant to be included in the same category).
When a brand new Muslom congressman was being told that he must be sworn in on the Bible and not on his own Coran (or torra, or whatever book one believes in) as certain religious zealots insisted in the near past, that is nothing more than out and out bigotry. And the right wing in this country is NOTORIOUS for out and out bigotry; most of which is for no other purpose than the centuries old "Divide and Conquer" tactic of scaring people to reach deeper into their pockets to overcome such fabricated threats. It's a typical power and money tactic and too many honest and God-fearing citizens in this country regretably just don't get it. We continue to be asleep to these undermining, selfish tactics.
Look at the way the Republican party used the religious gay marraige ban as an example of promoting the fear of gays and lesbians taking over this country to ultimately put this self-serving administration back into office after the first 4 years of ineptitude...and everyone bought into it, hook, line and sinker to prevent "the gays from coming and taking over and wanting to GET MARRIED, no less!" even though the LGBT community constitutes less than 10% of any population. And now look at the mess we're in. I'm sorry, America, I am not now and never will I be a good politician as I'm not in the habit of beating around the bush (no pun intended) but rather I am in the habit of calling a spade a spade, in spite of who I may offend. And to you all who chose this bed for all of us to sleep in during the 2004 elections, I hope you are now aware of the decieptful undermining tactics that you bought into and hopefully will not allow such a thing to happen again. As if disallowing gay and lesbian people in this land of wher "All men are created equal" to enter into a loving and committed legal relationsip as every other tax-paying citizen, is more important than a total lack of health care for most people, a deplorable and failing educational system and spending more and more money on this unbelievable and useless, wasteful war that was strictly for the purpose of giving this administration and it's party "oil power" and bragging rights in the first place. Bragging rights and "oil power", by the way, which never came to pass after the whole mess blew up in their faces. I can still see this President on that Navy ship early on, bragging about "Victory in Iraque". Congratulations, Mr President....and congratulations to ALL of you American voters for buying into it by turning right around and voting him and his band of thieves back into power for fear of nothing more than the fear of "Gay Marraige".
If all Gods and Bibles and Corans and Torrahs and all religious beliefs are going to be incorporated into this government, then unquestionably they ALL need to be included equally. Not just the one religion of Christianity that some in this country wish to cram down everyone else's throats. If the powers that be want to continue using govermment as a means of forcing their own particular religions onto people, then I for one agree that we need to keep religion out completely. And I am not one of those who are against religion and/or God as I'm sure some would like to portray me.
"Separation of Church and State" was passed for a reason. How many wars and millions of deaths on this earth over our existance and the centuries of our history took place for no other reason than religion and greed? Look at the middle East right now. What are they fighting about? Religion! And what reeligious sect is going to get what. This is why the forefathers passed "Separation of Church and State" in the first place, though many continue to either ignore it or sidestep it to continue attempting their own self-promoting antics.
Until every church and religion on earth is included equally regardless of how small or large, I am one not one bit reluctant to claim being one of those who is all for forcing all religion completely OUT of American government completely until everyone in this country, learns to focus on the similarities of all of us, instead of our religious differences.

....But then that's just my opinion...

Thank you for visiting "Nobody asked for my opinion...BUT..." at www.DanceDirt.com (www.DanceGossip.com)
the web site of DanceSport Gossip... and more... maintained by:


Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT
& Entertainment

Offering the most authentic and professional DanceSport entertainment available throughout Metropolitan Washington DC, as well as the most flexible, easy & fun instruction for the entire family in every style of social dance from around the globe that ANYONE can afford.
We take pride in offering you the absolute “BEST” in social dance training in literally all of the social dance styles and by
some of the most experienced, highly trained and professional associate teachers in each of their areas of expertise in
the Washington area. As well we offer the most flexible, fun-filled and affordable arrangements for classes, private
coaching and Saturday and Sunday Dance-&-Learn practice and social dance events available throughout
Metropolitan Washington DC.... and your first class is FREE! with a "First-Class-is-Free Pass"
(www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com, www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.TerryChasteen.com)

 TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870
 www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
www.DanceSportOfAmerica.com
www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com
www.DanceAtYourWeddingWorkshops.com
www.TangoDanceSPORT.com
www.TheDancingKidsNetwork.com
www.RedHotBallroom.net
www.MichaelJackonsThriller.com
www.Learn-to-Dance-athon.org
www.OutOnTheDanceFloor.org
(the web site for the annual "Out on The Dance Floor Charity Ball" plus monthly "So You Think You Can Dance DC" and "Dancing with the DC Stars" mini-dance competitions in all styles open to anyone ..... so join us "Out on The Dance Floor")


(Email: TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com)

Click here for the menu to the varied topics of the
PleaseDanceWithMe.com web site

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F. A tribute to Steve Irwin:

We are sadened at the incredible loss and will always miss this irreplacable icon of wildlife conservation and compassion.
We should all be so passionate about life and love...


Terri, Robert, Steve and Bindi Sue


1962 - 2006

"Many things will catch your eye,
few will catch your heart; pursue those."

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
Sir Winston Churchill



Harry the Koala and Rosie 2 the green sea turtle


The endangered tiger

Purchase the Steve Irwin Memorial Tribute DVD and
"He Changed our World"
to benefit wildlife conservation at
1-800-358-8600

Also available on the web site of Steve Irwin's "Wildlife Warriors Worldwide" at
www.WildlifeWarriors.org.au

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You will definitely NOT want to miss these

new classes, along with other incredible opportunities
available on our teaching schedule...

 

We take pride in and GUARANTEE that there is not a more experienced, talented and
professional cadre of teachers and coaches in their individual areas of expertise throughout all of
Metropolitan Washington DC. Join us every week for some of the most technically correct
and fun-filled dance training in every style of social dance available anywhere. Our teachers
are not just recent graduates of Ballroom training class, as in too many companies, but
rather they're all highly experienced and professional, with with years of
very successful teaching results.

G. Terry Chasteen's bio

Terry Chasteen was born and raised in Ohio and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science with a minor in business administration at Ohio State University in 1972, which is where he took his first Ballroom class in the old OSU Student Union building in '69. In 1974 Terry began a 2-week teacher training course at the Fred Astaire Dance studio of Columbus, Ohio just to get "free dance lessons" with no intention whatsoever of continuing after the two week crash course was completed. That was nearly 4 decades ago and he has been teaching nearly every form of social dance known to mankind ever since. His two passions in life are music & dance and animals of all types but especially horses, which he spent 26 years during and after high school breeding, raising, training and showing some of the top Appaloosas, American Paint Horses and American Quarter horses in the country.

Terry founded Metropolitan Washington DC's International DanceSPORT and Entertainment Productions where he provides dance entertainment and teachers for events and along with other fellow independent instructors, teaches the many forms of both social and competitive dance (International and American style Ballroom and Latin, Argentine Tango, Salsa, Salsa Rueda, Swing, Disco/Hustle, Country/Western and more) throughout the city and Metroploitan DC area. Mr. Chasteen teaches both competitive dancing as well as the most basic level social dances, including children's classes, quinceanera, cotillion, prom and bar/ bat mitzvah training for youth through his "Dancing Kids Network" which is slated to perform for charitable fundraising events in the future.

Terry is a firm believer that everyone can and should be encouraged to dance all of the social dances, including people of all ages with or without dance partners, disabled wheelchair dancers with able-bodied partners, as well as the seeing and hearing impaired (from past experience he feels they are both much better at this than they realize. He loves it when deaf students come to class so he can practice his ASL while teaching). He also encourages both same-gender as well as mixed-gender couples to get "out on the dance floor", several of which he is coaching at this time as part of Lambda DanceSport DC for the competitive DanceSport events of Gay Games Cleveland, 2014. In Same-Gender DanceSport, to be really competitive, the couples must not only learn just the leader or follower role, but they must be able to dance BOTH the leader AND follow roles and be comfortable switching back and forth from one to another within the SAME PERFORMANCE! This is a monumental task for most dancers because many have enough difficulty perfecting just ONE role, as opposed to BOTH. It actually makes a 5-dancer the equivalent of a 10-dancer in amount of material to absorb and a 10-dancer a 20 dancer! Something that most in the DanceSport world, whether amateur or professional, would find difficult to concieve. As a competitor in both International Latin and International Ballroom during the historic first Gay Games DanceSport competion in Amsterdam of 1998, Terry attended without a partner but the organizers found him an American Style male partner from South Africa 2 days before the event. In Spite of their handicap, Terry and Armond made it to the semi-finals in Latin and received one of the highest scorings in Viennese Waltz in standard (as an American dancer, Armond didn't dance heel turns so excelling in International Standard was next to impossible). Because of the non-stop role-changing antics of the performers, the Amsterdam audience at this event raraely sat for any length of time ....one of, if not still 'THE' most enthusiastic crowds he ever witnessed.

Terry's experience as a judge includes two years judging the annual Cornell University DanceSport Championships.He believes that emphasis on proper technique and styling are paramount for all levels, including the most beginner level dancers, to achieve maximum and long-lasting results.

From over a decade and a half of affiliation with Washington area "Dance Guru", Ron Bennett and the many talented coaches who continually come through his former studio which he recently sold, the Chevy Chase Ballroom & DanceSport Center, Terry has had and continues to have the opportunity to train with many of the top competitors, coaches and trainers from across the continent and around the world, many of which are seen routunely on some of the major DanceSport events in the media. He feels that throughout his career he has worked with "some of the absolute BEST and some of the absolute WORST trainers in the industry, but I have learned important lessons from every one of them".

Terry has been published and quoted on numerous occasions in local and national magazines and newspapers, including the (former United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association's (now USA Dance) "Amateur Dancers Magazine" (a 2002 three-part article, "To Teach Well or Not To Teach Well...That is the Question"), The Washington Post on numerous occasions, The Washington Blade, Woman's Monthly, Washingtonian Magazine plus a 2-page story on his Head of State experience in 5-6-7-8 Dance magazine. Terry has also taught to audiences on live television on numerous occasions for local WUSA-9 and local Fox-5 TV by setting up performers and teaching events in Swing, C/W Two Step and Line dancing (in the Wardman Marriott before the 2000 "Black-tie and Boots Inaugural Ball') as well as teaching portions of 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' routine the year he brought his kids to the Smithsonian and on the day after his death. Terry, along with 12 of his dancing friends also received a credited cameo performance in the major motion picture, "Head of State", starring, written by and directed by the former "Funniest Person in America", comedian Chris Rock. For that assignment in "Head Of State" he provided the opportunity through recruitment of 9 of his dancing friends and students, all of which were in the end paid SAG (Screen Actors' Guild) wages (something which was totally unexpected after merely volunteering as a movie extra and which turned out to be pretty incredible pay for a day and a half of work compared to the $65/day that extras receive). In addition to several spotlight performances in the movie, it also provided him with a spotlight performance in the promotional movie trailer that will be available on the internet from now until eternity (visit www.Mooviees.com and www.Movies.Yahoo.com plus www.imbd.com for some great movie photographs of the principle actors from "Head Of State"). As well, Terry and one or both of his two dance partners in the film were shown extensively on every TV and movie screen across the United States through February, March and early April of 2003. After their individual "front-and-center" performances in the film, Terry and all of the "WASP'y, 'more sophisticated' (they meant 'older' but to be politically correct, Central Casting called us 'more sophisticated') Black-tie fundraiser type Hip Hop dancers" received movie credits and RESIDUALS, which we continue to get even today in small amounts (so watch for "Head of State" on pay TV and when it comes to HBO and buy your friends, relatives and neighbors the DVD...and he'll get even MORE!!...).

 

The Great Gatsby Stars, Washington Ballet
Luis Torres and Elizabeth Gaither as Tom and Daisy Buchanan in the Washington Ballet's 'The Great Gatsby'.
After 'Head Of State', my SECOND most fun gig was during the blizzard of 2010 when Washingto Ballet Artistic Director Septeem Webre called me and sent a four-wheel-drive SUV after me to come and help choreograph a Tango for the pivotal point in the play, 'The Great Gatsby', a World Premiere about to hit the stage of the Eisenhower Theatre at the Kennedy Center 2 weeks later from Feb 24-28, 2010. Because of the exrtreme differences in the 3 dancing couples, I came up with an Argentine, International AND American style Tango scene; each style performed to exemplify the 3 different moods of the 3 different couples .... co-choreographed with the brilliant Septeem Webre! My first World Premiere ...and AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, NO LESS!!!

This incredibly fun-filled musical of the Roaring 20's era performed by the 'Washington Ballet' under the guidance of brilliant artistic director Septeem Webre is LOADED with some of the most incredible song and dance numbers of nearly every style, including tap, Charleston, jazz, Swing and more PLUS an Argentine, International AND American style Tango scene co-choreographed by YOURS TRULY with the brilliant Septeem! My first World Premiere ...and AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, NO LESS!!!

The Great Gatsby Stars, Washington Ballet
Jared Nelson and Elizabeth Gaither as Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan in the
World Premiere of Septeem Webre's 'The Great Gatsby' at The Kennedy Center.

The Washington Post... "[Artistic Director Septime] Webre does a tremandous job at keeping the ballet in motion. A searing Tango spells out the danger between Gatsby and Tom")
Wed, Feb 24 - Sun, Feb 28 Tango in 'The Great Gatsby' at the Eisenhower Theatre of the Kennedy Center

In addition to teaching at DanceSport at DuPont Circle, Terry also teaches Bethesda DanceSport and will be teaching private coaching at the new Rockvill, Maryland studio, Avnt Garde Ballroom Dance Center and in several other venues on Capitol Hill and Silver Spring. He enjoys as much as anything getting the kids to enjoy Ballroom, Latin, Swing & Hustle dancing as well as ettiquette and training for social situations, having conducted for several years an 8-week Friday evening class of over 80 6th and 7th-graders in Falls Church, Va.

Besides teaching group classes in all of the social dances, Terry is also available for private coaching, teaching at private social events to get people up and dancing, providing music and mini-classes for dance or corporate events and teaching wedding couples (find out why Terry LLoooves teaching his first-time wedding couples...) or those preparing to attend weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah's cotillions and quincinerra celebrations. He can be reached at 202-462-0870, 202-596-4860 (cell) or by email at TerryChasteen@yahoo.com (TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com or TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com). You may visit his web site at www.DanceSportDuPont.com, www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com or www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com or www.TangoDanceSport.com.

During Terry's previous life before spending full-time dancing, he spent 26 years during and after high school raising, breeding, training, showing and selling some of the top show horses in the country in the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa and American Paint Horse breeds. And yes, as in dancing, his obsessive/compulsive disorder refused to allow him to choose one breed or dance style over the other. He had a passion for all 3 of them and bred and raised National level champions in each. Along with his parents and former wife, he raised numerous state and National Champions in all 3 breed associations. His ability to analyze and combine the strengths and weaknesses of breeding animals to come up with progeny which were much superior than either of their parents accomplished early on, what some breeders would spend a lifetime attempting. His very first appaloosa foal raised with his former wife and out of her not-so-incredible 4-H mare won the Appaloosa Nationals as a baby and the same happened with the second foal of one of his parents American Paint Horse brood mares whose daughter went on to become the highest point-earner over all sexes in the American Paint Horse Association.

********************************
We're not here for a long time, we're here for a GOOD TIME!
So let's get started...and DANCE!!! -- TLChasteen
********************************



Terry & Sharon Savoy dancing our version of the 'Crypt Walks' in the Head Of State trailer. This unique version of Crypt Walks was created
and taught to us by reknowned "DreamGirls" choreographer Fatima Robinson (who was actually one of The Step Sisters in that movie).



Terry & Helaine Fonda dancing the 'Harlem Shrugs' under the direction of 'DreamGirls' choreographer, Fatima Robinson in 'Head Of State'.



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Use the drop-down menu links at the top of each
web page or click here for the menu to the varied topics of the
PleaseDanceWithMe.com web site

 

Terry Chasteen's
International DanceSPORT & Entertainment
(Providing authentic entertainment plus easy & fun instruction in every style of social dance from around the globe that ANYONE can afford)
We take pride in offering you the absolute “BEST” in social dance training in literally all of the social dance styles and by
some of the most experienced, highly trained and professional associate teachers in each of their areas of expertise in
the Washington area. As well we offer the most flexible, fun-filled and affordable arrangements for classes, private
coaching and Saturday and Sunday Dance-&-Learn practice and social dance events available throughout
Metropolitan Washington DC.... and your first class is FREE! with a "First-Class-is-Free Pass"
(www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com, www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com, www.TerryChasteen.com)
TerryChasteen@PleaseDanceWithMe.com,
TerryChasteen@InternationalDanceSPORT.com,
TerryChasteen@yahoo.com
202-462-0870
 www.PleaseDanceWithMe.com
www.DanceSportOfAmerica.com
www.InternationalDanceSPORT.com
www.DanceAtYourWeddingWorkshops.com
www.TheDancingKidsNetwork.com
www.RedHotBallroom.net
www.MichaelJackonsThriller.com
www.Learn-to-Dance-athon.org
www.OutOnTheDanceFloor.org
(the web site for the annual "Out on The Dance Floor Charity Ball" plus monthly "So You Think You Can Dance DC" and "Dancing with the DC Stars" mini-dance competitions in all styles open to anyone ..... so join us "Out on The Dance Floor")

You WILL dance...but if you refuse.....


 




 


...then I'll get you, my pretties!...

...and your little dog, too!!!

Only for Party Animals who
LOVE DANCING
and

You've been WATCHING
"Dancing with the Stars"....


...now it's time for YOU to
"BECOME ONE"!!

Begin preparing today for The "Battle Of The Ballroom"....

STOP WATCHING all the fun....and START HAVING IT!!
....instead of sitting back and watching EVERYONE ELSE having it !!!....

 

Join us for the weekly
The Sunday Salsa & Rueda, Ballroom & Swing Brazilian Samba and Argentine Tango Social Dance Parties The nicholas Brothers in "Chattanooga Choo Choo"
click on the graphic for details....

Where we may will also be teaching

dance routine by request...(but only for those who DARE to even try it!)











Visit www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com



Terry teaching 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' to the masses in front of
Union Station during the 2007 Dance DC Festival
(www.MichaelJacksonsThriller.com)


Terry teaching 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' to news reporter, Sarah Simmons on Fox 5 morning,
midday & evening News in 2007 during the week Michael came to the Smithsonian with his kids.



Terry teaching 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' live on TV to the anchors
and weather guys on Halloween morning, 2007.


Terry teaching the 'Moonwalks' to news reporter, Sarah Simmons on Fox 5 morning, midday
and evening News in 2007 during the week Michael came to the Smithsonian with his kids.