Wednesday was what I call a “Good News Day”. It’s taken me so long to update this because I’m back in Ireland visiting people, and this is the first time I’m in front of a computer to do more than a quick e-mail check. Anyways, two things came my way.

1. This item on RTE News.

An anti-gay Christian preacher and his daughter have been barred from entering Britain.

Reverend Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, was going to the UK to protest a performance of the play ‘The Laramie Project’, which highlights the brutal murder of a young gay man in Wyoming.

How cool is that? If anyone hasn’t heard of this “church” (the Westboro Baptist Church) they have decided that it is God’s will that they hate everyone who isn’t them, especially De Gays. That very funny man Louis Theroux made a documentary about them that is very much worth a watch. Anyway, one of their main activities is protesting. They travel the United States (and, evidently, other countries) damning the actions of others, and declaring them all “fags”. So in this case the aim was to decry The Laramie Project. Why? Well, I would assume because it’s the story of Matthew Shephard, who was gay and was beaten to death as a result of his sexuality. According to Phelps and his group, every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality. They also protest at funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. To be honest, this idea and the entire group saddens and appalls me. That someone’s life can be so driven by hate and that their aim in life can be to spread this message of hate seems like a waste to me.  Anyway, on to other news.

2. I’ll be on the radio on Monday

Yay! Wow, I’m nervous already. Anyway, the Today with Pat Kenny show has again invited me, as well as a number of other guests, on to discuss the issue of the Civil Partnership Bill, and what it will and won’t do. Obviously my angle is that it doesn’t address the concept of family and that issues such as inheritance and adoption aren’t looked at at all. Other guests (and this is where I get excited) will be Muriel Walls (a family lawyer), Dr. Fergus Ryan (head of Law at DIT) and Mark Kelly (of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties). Fun times it will be indeed.

Anyway, I should go and do a little bit of research (I’m nervous I tell you!), so, ’til the next time, adieu.