With recent budget cuts and dour economic forecasts, the Seattle school district has been scrambling to reduce a $37.1 million budget gap next year. This has lead to drastic solutions including the call to close schools, move programs, reduce busing, and freeze hiring.

Seattle School Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson broke the news on 11/25 that in order to operate on their projected budget, seven schools would be forced to move to other premises and their buildings would be closed as a way to save money. Then on 12/03 Goodloe-Johnson upped the number to nine including Rainer Beach High School, the first high school on the list. The updated plans also formally considered the option of permanently closing some of more unique school programs like the Summit K-12 program (the only one in the district), and the African-American Academy. Other money saving cuts included a hiring freeze and cuts to the district busing program.

While the term “closing schools” inspires a special sort of panic, the reality is much different. Seattle city school district currently has more seats than actual students. The reported numbers vary from 7,000-9,000 seats, but still enough to warrant some consolidation. The reason for most of the specific closures – mainly moving programs in North Seattle to South Seattle is manifest in the socio-economic divide between the two areas. Lower-income families in South Seattle have taken to busing their children to better funded schools in North Seattle to get a better education, creating a perverse imbalance of students. Many of the schools in North Seattle are overcrowded, where as South Seattle schools are struggling to teach full classrooms. These movements are all intended to correct these imbalances, and save cost on maintaining extraneous buildings.

However, public discussion of these matters has been less than flattering. Some racist remarks have been bandied about – giving programs back to the poor – and those schools who have made great strides in the wake of the flawed No Child Left Behind Act are crying foul. Another concern specific to Rainer Beach High School is an escalation in gang violence. Under the current plan, Rainer Beach would be merged with rival school Cleveland High School. There is some animosity between the schools and parents are concerned that these feelings would escalate if the schools were to be combined.

Currently there are many public hearings scheduled for individual schools prior to the final recommendations being released on January 6^th. For a full list go here.

“Justice too long delayed is justice denied.” - Dr. M. L. King

Make no mistake, I’m a believer. A believer in what, you ask? Why, a higher power of course. But I’m not talking about your typical run-of-the-mill God-fearing Bible-belt-thumpin’ type of believer. That’s not really my style. I’m more of a dabbler in the religions of the world. I like elements of many religions – Christianity, Buddhism, Native American, even Islamic. Why? Because I certainly don’t agree with all aspects of any of them. And I have extreme distaste for anyone who uses their religion to persecute others. I prefer to see things from the perspective of human rights and equality, and that all men and women are created equal no matter what their sexual orientation, race, color, creed, country of origin, or age (among others.) It’s about justice. It’s about being tolerant of others and their opinions. It’s about natural rights. I prefer to envision Jesus as a man who taught us that everyone is loved equally (prostitutes and lepers ain’t no thang!) And yeah, I agree with Buddha that the purpose of life is to end suffering. I even agree with the Mormons about sharing resources for the betterment of the community (but that’s about it.)

So why of all this talk of religion? Because it’s a never-ending topic that arises whenever anyone speaks of equal rights – especially gay equal rights. Last weekend, Seattle held an equal rights march against the recently passed California Proposition 8. It was one of many equal rights marches across the state and across the country in response to gay marriage bans. More than 6,000 people marched in protest of Prop 8 in Seattle and I can proudly say, as a believer, I was one of them.

The rally began around 11:30am at Volunteer Park and lasted until about 1:00pm. Speakers included openly gay Senator Ed Murray (who was recently appointed as the Senate Democratic Caucus Chair – a step in the right direction for gay rights), Senator Joe McDermott, King County Executive Ron Sims (who gave the most powerful speech of the day), and Mayor Greg Nickels. As the crowd listened and cheered during the speeches, I couldn’t help but notice the clever signs folks made and the way that everyone was so supportive of each other.

At the stroke of 1:00pm the march began. At first, it was slow going. But no one seemed to mind. There was no road rage present on this path, only laughter and the knowledge that so many people across the nation were marching with us. (300 cities participated, including New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, and Las Vegas). As we came down Broadway, we saw folks standing alongside the road and cars parked in the middle of side streets. I have to admit that at first I thought they were anti-protest religious-right. Turns out they were supporters – many of them waving signs and some honking their car horns.

We ended at Westlake Center around 3:00pm. Once there, Representative Jamie Pedersen, City Councilwoman Sally Clark, Executive Director of Equal Rights Washington Connie Watts, and Pastor David Strong all spoke. While Pastor Strong was speaking to the zealous crowd about acceptance, I noticed another Pastor was perched across the way and oh-so-eloquently screaming “burn in hell!” while holding a Bible. Sure, that man has a first amendment right to be there as much as the next guy, but when I went to give him a hug – he really needed one! – I was nearly killed by a Bible swatting the air furiously and the police force that surrounded him. Really? Really?

I know some people will say “so what?” But you’d be surprised how many people refuse to recognize gay civil rights as equal to other civil rights causes. People are allowed to have their own personal opinions – even the Mormons, who financed more than 70% of the Prop 8 campaign – but when they affect others’ rights and lives, they have gone too far. And to those who say that protesting is something that just gives a warm fuzzy feeling without accomplishing anything, I say to them: Roe v. Wade didn’t just happen because a majority of Supreme Court justices decided women have the right to choose. The Civil Rights Movement didn’t happen because a few people decided that blacks and whites should be equal. No, it was after a mass movement worked hard for many years to make those movements politically possible. And to those religious believers who say that I’m a sinner for supporting gay marriage, I say to them: Jesus, God, Mohammed, Buddha, and Coyote are all different, and all the same. But what is most important is that if any of these higher powers truly exist, and they are as judgmental as their religious peons on earth, then I’m buying a first class ticket to hell.

If you weren’t able to make this momentous event and you’re just itching for more images, no worries, you can also see a video montage of it here on the Melon.

This Saturday, some of us from The Melon and friends, drove up to Seattle to march in an Anti-Proposition 8 Rally. Here’s some of the footage we captured:

Few Democrats are so undeserving of their seat as Congressman Norm Dicks. Here are seven reasons why he should not be reelected.

1.  Elected to the United States House of Representative seventeen times (34 years) he has still yet to secure a chairmanship for himself.  If someone you knew had been working for a company for over thirty-four years and still wasn’t trusted with even a middle-management position, wouldn’t you be a little suspicious of his character, conduct or convictions?

2. In 2003 he voted to authorize the president to use U.S. forces to preemptively invade Iraq.  Although publicly he has subsequently changed his position on the subject - he has continued to vote in favor of bills related to funding the war, even at times by breaking rank with his Democratic colleagues.

3.  Despite a legal background marked by a JD from the University of Washington, Congressman Dicks Voted for the USA Patriot Act.  He also voted for the Military Commission Act that effectively rationalized the suspension of habeas corpus as a tool to fight terrorism (He was one of only 32 House Democrats to vote for this.  The remaining 162 Democratic members of Congress voted NAY on the bill).  It remains uncertain as to whether or not US citizens - in addition to alien combatants - are also subject to the laws outlined in this bill.

4.  Continues to support free-trade legislation, despite a worsening economy.

5.  Voted for the Bush Bailout, despite countless polls that suggested that the overwhelming majority of both Democrats and Republicans opposed the legislation.

6.  Voted for the FISA Amendment Act of 2008.

7.  Crapped out of his first Melon Interview midway through a radio recording because he suddenly remembered he had “a dentist appointment.” The subject of the interview was veterans suffering from PSTD - a topic which both Elliot Trotter and Peter Braun were shocked to discover that the congressman was unwilling to discuss or knew relatively little about.  This was very disturbing given that Congressman Dicks represents one of the largest military districts in the United States.

These are only a few highlights into the career of one congressman who went too far and was kept for too long. Therefore, I would encourage you all to either vote for the Republican candidate, Doug Cloud, who - if nothing else, is not Norm Dicks and would have opposed the bailout.  If you, as a Democrat, can’t move yourself to vote for a Republican, then write-in Paul Richmond, a fellow Democrat who would have been a vast improvement had he won the primary.  If neither of these options sound palpable to you, then you can write in Harvard West: The Lesser of Three Evils.

For those in the mood for daring live theatre, the Book-It Repertory Theatre’s production of “Even Cowgirls Get The Blues” fills the niche for theatre that still pushes the envelope.

Based on the 1976 Tom Robbins novel, “Cowgirls” follows the hitchhiking travels of Sissy Hankshaw and all the vibrant characters she finds along the way.

Blessed with abnormally large thumbs from birth, Sissy is “the one great passenger” for all the great drivers in the world. From New York City to North Dakota, Sissy roams earning money when she needs it by modeling for The Countess (Brian Thompson), a transvestite tycoon of vaginal perfumes. It’s The Countess who steers Sissy towards Julian (Chris Maslen) a full blooded Indian, though he doesn’t look it. Here, Sissy faces her first real dilemma. She’s enchanted with the freedom the American Indian represents, but her own personal Indian becomes a shut in, unwilling to show Sissy’s huge thumbs in public. Through the rest of the play, Sissy continues to fight for her right to live the way she wants, despite all efforts to get her to conform.

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Zoning laws are belaboring many Seattle residents, as the city struggles with urban planning in Washington State’s largest city.

Since 2000, the City of Seattle has grown by 30,000 in the city proper, and even more in the greater Seattle area, making the Emerald City the third fastest growing city in Washington state.

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The Tent City known as Nickelsville, named after Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, was evicted today around 1:00pm.

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This past weekend in Seattle was PAX 08 (along with Bumbershoot and a ton of other stuff). I don’t know how many tourists were in Seattle last weekend, but almost 59,000 of them were there for PAX. Penny Arcade is, of course, one of the biggest web comics on the web and is known for brutally honest commentary on the video game industry. This was the fifth year of their conference who’s stated goal is to make the Internet into a physical place for one weekend a year. I’ve gotta say that they definitely succeeded this year. With Fruit Fuckers walking around downtown Seattle, some of the best nerdcore rappers around, and three floors of bean bags to hang out and play Nintendo DS games (which mostly consists of drawing penises on pictochat), it’s hard to imagine what else is missing from this physical presence of the Internet.

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The Seattle Pride Parade had an estimated 40,000 people show up to watch the parade and to party in the Seattle Center afterwards. I went around the crowd and interviewed various people on what they thought was important about the event and their thoughts on where the LGBT movement was going from here.