Evening View - Ferry Parade

Obama: Romney Wants ME To Apologize?

HomoQuotable - Dr. Tom Roach

"One of my biggest fears as a gay kid was that I wouldn’t find that 'special someone,' that one person who was supposed to complete me, fulfill me. We’re all in one way or another trained to believe this is the apex of human relationships. After learning more about gay history and politics, after reading brilliant feminist and queer critiques of marriage and romance, however, I came to understand gay friendship networks as a viable and perhaps more fulfilling relationship alternative to marriage and family life.

"This is of course not to say that I’m against love, romance, or coupledom; this is not an either/or debate about friendship versus love, or friendship versus marriage. That’s silliness. Instead I ask readers to take seriously gay friendship networks as a unique cultural innovation, legitimate and gratifying in their own right. In recent years, as we all know, gay rights organizations have sunk enormous amounts of time, money, and energy into securing marriage and family rights for lesbians and gays. One of the main points of my book is to remind the gay community that friendship is the bedrock of all gay politics, of all gay rights struggles.

"If it weren’t for networks of friends: friends who marched in the streets together in the 70s, friends who cared for one another during the AIDS crisis, friendship networks that historically offered an alternative to obligatory heterosexuality and compulsory coupling, there wouldn’t be much of a gay community to fight for." - Dr. Tom Roach, speaking at the Bear Week launch for his new book, Friendship As A Way Of Life: Foucault, AIDS, and the Politics of Shared Estrangement. Roach's book is now available at online booksellers.

UPDATE: Roach talks about his book in this podcast.

Afternoon View - Retail Bears

Outside the Marc Jacobs store. Note the harnesses.

Romney's Black Base

Homocon 2012

The must-have ticket of the convention! Totally. (Tipped by JMG reader Jay)

Morning View - PTown Cottage

I love these little houses.

Real Minnesotans Voting No

Headline Of The Day

CNN mistakenly used the photo of a drag impersonator to illustrate a mention of Whitney Houston, prompting TMZ to report the error with the above headline.

Reuters Opposes MN Marriage Ban

Media giant Reuters has come out in opposition to the Minnesota referendum to ban same-sex marriage.

In a statement, Thomson Reuters said it doesn't believe the amendment "would be good for Thomson Reuters or the business community in the state." Spokesman John Shaughnessy said Thomson Reuters, headquartered in New York City, has almost 8,000 employees in Minnesota, most based in the Minneapolis suburb of Eagan, and 60,000 around the world. "We believe the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, if passed, would limit our ability to recruit and retain top talent," several Minnesota-based company executives wrote in an email to employees. The company, which includes Reuters news agency, tried to clarify why it was weighing in on the issue, saying its statement was not a political or religious position. "Rather, our perspective on the Amendment is a business position," the email said.

And the dominoes continue to fall.

TRAILER: The Walking Dead

Season three!

Hate Groups Hate Condi Rice, Part 2

Evening View - PTown Fishing Fleet

Australia's "Triple Threat" Search Show

Sing, dance, act...and drag. Quadruple threat!

(Tipped by JMG reader Murphy)

Circumcision Advocates Press To Make It A Priority In The African AIDS Battle

The International AIDS Conference will be held later this month in Washington DC and advocates of circumcision as an HIV preventive plan to pressure attendees to consider making the surgery a "priority" in the battle against AIDS in Africa. Via press release:

Voluntary medical male circumcision is one of the most effective HIV prevention tools available today. Countries where VMMC can have an impact should be acting to ensure access—and advocates should be demanding accountability,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC. “At this moment in the epidemic, there are few things that could do more to reduce the human and economic toll of HIV.When the AIDS community gathers this month in Washington, we need to refocus on this inexpensive, one-time intervention that offers men life-long partial protection against HIV.”

Research shows that VMMC could help significantly reduce heterosexual transmission of HIV in key African countries. Long-term follow-up from clinical trials conducted in Africa suggests that VMMC reduces a man’s risk of sexually acquiring HIV from an HIV-positive female partner by as much as 75 percent.Modeling research indicates that achieving 80 percent VMMC coverage among menages 15-49 in 13 key African countries by 2015 would avert up to 3.36 million newHIV infections by 2025. Meeting this target would also avert $16 billion in future direct AIDS prevention and treatment costs.

Poll Of The Day

See it here. (Tipped by JMG reader Steven)

For Your PTown Tattoo Emergency

If you have a tattoo emergency, rub-on armbands are available in the Boatslip men's room for 75 cents. (Condoms are free at the bar.)

LOUISIANA: House GOP Rep Calls For Ending College LGBT Studies Minor

Louisiana's University of LaFayette has begun offering a minor in LGBT Studies. And that makes wingnut GOP House Rep. Jeff Landry very unhappy.

In a letter addressed to UL's President, Dr. Joseph Savoie, Landry request that the university eliminate the new program. As a proud alumnus, Landry says he been so grateful of the education he received at UL, but he is concerned if future graduates will be able say the same. In the letter Landry ask the program be dropped because quote "it fails to provide an economic benefit to the participants or financial sense for the taxpayer" end quote. The University of Lafayette offers around 100 different minors such as African-American studies, Cajun and Creole studies, Latin American studies, and religious studies. According to President Savoie, the LGBT minor did not require budgetary allocations or divert resources from other areas.

Landry is a freshman member of House, part of the 2010 Tea Party wave. His Wikipedia entry notes that he is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the NRA.

Meet Mya & Her Two Moms

Clip description:

Mya is, in many ways, a typical 8-year-old girl. She takes piano lessons, loves to read, and enjoys the girl scouts. She has two parents who love her and want the best for her. What's not so typical, is that both her parents are moms. Take a peek into the daily lives of Lisa, Laura and their daughter Mya, and see if you can spot the differences between this family and any other.

Exodoesn't

(From the Dallas Voice via Zack Ford.)

Afternoon View - Dina Martina

Nate Silver: Obama Slides Five

Source.

Wear Your Seat Belt

Gothamist reports:

The collision happened on June 29th at 5:30 a.m. One 29-year-old driver sustained minor injuries and was arrested for DWI. (No one else was hurt.) Roselle Park Police Chief Paul Morrison tells NBC New York, "I want people to realize what can happen when someone runs a red light. By showing this video, we hope people will realize running red lights can have tragic consequences."

RELATED: Advocates for red light cameras are already citing this crash as evidence for the need to expand the program. Those ticketed by such cameras have sometimes successfully fought their citations in court on privacy grounds. The ACLU has come out against them.

Contrary to popular belief, the major concern about red light cameras and privacy is not about cameras taking pictures of license plates, assuming that they do not also take pictures of the drivers. Rather, it has to do with the storage by a government entity of data regarding a driver's whereabouts, whether or not the driver was issued a citation (a citation is not automatically issued simply because a photograph is taken), and whether or not those citations are successfully appealed. Such data (which includes the date and time of a particular vehicle passing a particular location) should be inaccessible to anyone for any purpose other than issuing a citation (including for other law enforcement purposes or via discovery in civil proceedings), and it should be destroyed as soon as possible.

Obama Slams Romney Over Bain Lies

Just posted to the Obama campaign's YouTube channel.

Hate Groups Hate Condi Rice

Headline Of The Day

What should their slogan be? Source.

Maggie Wants Huckabee For VP

"Romney needs to avoid McCain's mistake of picking a running mate who is more interesting and attracts more attention that he does. Huckabee fits the bill perfectly. He not a guy to scare anyone, he's run the presidential gauntlet and been fully vetted, and while a pleasant and interesting man, he is a familiar enough figure on the national scene not to outshine Mitt Romney with novelty. Several others on the shortlist also satisfy these minimal requirements. But Huckabee would do something else for Romney -- something I don't think any other person can do: shore up the evangelical base of the party and ignite genuine enthusiasm for getting Romney/Huckabee to the White House. It's not just Huckabee's style or political positions that would do this. It's the relationship of trust and love he's built with evangelicals and connections to evangelicals across the country. He is beloved. He can motivate. And Romney needs this." - Maggie Gallagher, writing for Townhall. (Via Good As You)

Paraskevid​ekatriapho​bia

Today's the day for such sufferers.

TRAILER: Oz The Great & Powerful

Dan Savage Vs. Alan Chambers

"So we've gone from Boys in the Band to Stonewall through forty years of the gay rights movement and forty years of an anti-gay backlash funded by the religious right and twenty years of an ex-gay 'movement' that promised 'freedom from homosexuality' only to arrive right back where we started: Alan Chambers is a sad and pathetic man. He's a homosexual and he doesn't want to be. But there's nothing he can do to change it. Not all the prayers to his God could change it. Still, Alan Chambers knows a heterosexual life. Because he wants it desperately enough. But Alan Chambers is still a homosexual and he always will be. Always." - Dan Savage, writing for Slog.

Harry Reid: Burn Those Olympic Uniforms

Baltimore Sun Endorses Marriage

From yesterday's editorial:

Are all Maryland families entitled to the same protections under the law? Are all children, no matter who their parents are, entitled to the same kind of support? We think they should be, if for no other reason than that it's important for Maryland to be a welcoming place for families of all kinds. The only reason the state is involved in marriage at all is that strong marriages make strong families, and strong families make strong communities. That's true whether the couples involved are gay or straight. The Episcopal Church has recognized this fact; it's not the first denomination to do so, nor will it be the last. We hope that this November, Maryland voters will come to the same conclusion and vote to support marriage for all.

(Tipped by JMG reader Sam)

Delgaudio: Help! I'm Being Oppressed!

"Dear Joe, Another attack came sooner than even I feared. I have just found out the SPLC is launching another attack on myself and Public Advocate as a whole. Last week I sent you several emails warning that the SPLC was determined to destroy our organization and our cause. Together, you helped me raise a decent amount of money for the coming fight, but I must admit that we fell short of my goal. And with the enemy so suddenly upon us, I am very worried. This attack is forming quickly -- I have not even received anything in writing, but they have already leaked it to the press. They again claim that Public Advocate is a 'hate group' simply because you and I refuse to embrace the Homosexual Agenda. And they are demanding I 'cease all operations' in this fight. Public Advocate could soon be facing a serious legal battle for supposed 'hate crimes' against the Homosexual Lobby." - Eugene Delgaudio, who always needs money.

Morning View - PTown Jetty

$50,000 To Meet Romney In Israel

NEW YORK: Hate Group Denounces Loss Of Suit To Overturn Same-Sex Marriage

The Family Research Foundation is all butthurt over losing their appeal to overturn same-sex marriage in New York.

When the New York Senate passed a law legalizing such unions, only after holding closed-door meetings with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Jason McGuire of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms (NYCF) says a lawsuit was filed concerning the violation of the state's open meetings laws.[snip] "The court, I think, allowed some of its political leanings to be seen when it said that even if the court was to rule that the state had been in violation of open meetings laws, it still would not have annulled all of the same-sex marriages that had occurred," the NYCF executive director offers. "That really should be a concern for all people, because it indicates to us that even if a law is passed illegally, the courts would allow it to stand."

The group hasn't said whether they plan to appeal, but their co-litigants, the Alliance Defense Fund, has said they will.

Alan Grayson On FL Gov. Rick Scott: The Blood Of The Poor Will Be On His Hands

FRC Cheers Maryland Haters

Romney Raffles Off His VP

Via press release:

Friend, We’re getting ready to share some exciting news. Sometime between now and the Republican convention, Mitt will be announcing his choice for VP. Know what’s even more exciting? Every week until the VP announcement is made, one lucky supporter will win the chance to meet Mitt and his choice for VP. This is your chance to meet America’s comeback team. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- don’t pass this one up. So donate $3 today to be automatically entered for the chance to meet Mitt and his choice for VP in person.

Evening View - Lobster pot

TRAILER: Crossing Over

Ralph Lauren's U.S. Olympics Uniforms

Why are they wearing those cheese-eating surrender monkey berets?

NEW YORK: Cops Arrest Four As Occupy "Guitarmy" Marches To Zuccotti Park

Their clip description:

The Guitarmy had returned from their 99 Mile March from the Occupy National Gathering. We had greeted them at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal and together we marched to Zucotti Park and celebrated. A feeling of glory days returned was in the air. To the NYPD we certainly seemed a menace, as a series of actions reminiscent of Occupation days drew overreactive violence. The first of these was the arrest of a drummer who had moved from the celebration circle to the West side of the park, the site of the old drum circle. Crying "that's my son!" an older Guitarmy marcher dressed as the Statue of Liberty fell to the ground, allegedly shoved by a police officer who regarded her as interfering with the arrest. At the same time a photographer was arrested, his camera confiscated and dog held by a police officer.

Marriage Equality: A Mainstream Value

Source.

Father Tony On Bear Week

"How you structure your Provincetown days and nights is telling. During Bear Week, I tried to do too much. I loved the people-watching from the chairs in front of Joe’s coffee shop, in the crowd at Tea Dance, or over a burger at Bubala’s. I loved the music at Bob Mould’s Blowoff party at the Boatslip, I loved my boat excursion with SFGN’s Brian McNaught, my posse’s bike trip through the pine forest and hike on the breakwater. [snip]

"Brian McNaught has a ritual when he is out on the bay. He rounds a metal buoy that holds a bell. His boat’s wake swings the buoy and he dedicates the ringing of the bell to the memory of a friend who has died. I looked tearfully to shore while he did this, and silently recited the names of departed friends like the beads of a rosary. If I must have ghosts, Provincetown is always where I’ll come to visit them and Bear Week is the happiest time for a reunion." - Father Tony Adams, writing for South Florida Gay News.

HomoQuotable - Peter Tatchell

"The Olympic Charter prohibits all discrimination, and this includes homophobic discrimination. Any country that discriminates against women, ethnic or religious minorities, or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) athletes should be disqualified from the 2012 Olympics. Why isn’t homophobia, biphobia and transphobia being challenged by the Olympic authorities? It is wrong that in over 150 countries LGBT athletes are forced to hide their sexuality in order to get selected and compete. The International Olympic Committee and London Olympic organisers should require all competing nations to sign a pledge that they do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. If they refuse to sign, they should be denied participation in the games." - Famed British LGBT rights activist Peter Tatchell, quoted by Pink News.

Crazy Eyes: Only A Tiny Percentage Of The Uninsured Go To The Emergency Room

Therefore we don't need Obamacare. Or something.

(Via Think Progress)

Dandy Darkly At Dick Dock

One of the more interesting things I've done here in Provincetown was attending a show by performance artist Dandy Darkly under the infamous Dick Dock, where audience members were handed mini-flashlights to train on Dandy as he spun several tales that riffed on masculinity, pirates, and other themes half-sung in hilarious rhymes. His final piece, Bear Skinner, was a Silence Of The Lambs-esque story of woefully hairless bear serial killer who harvested his victims to make a fur suit. You can catch Dandy Darkly later this summer at the New York Musical Theater Festival.

Afternoon View - Wonder Wobear

Business Week On The LDS

An excerpt:

It’s perhaps unsurprising that Mormonism, an indigenous American religion, would also adopt the country’s secular faith in money. What is remarkable is how varied the church’s business interests are and that so little is known about its financial interests. Although a former Mormon bishop is about to receive the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, and despite a recent public-relations campaign aimed at combating the perception that it is “secretive,” the LDS Church remains tight-lipped about its holdings. It offers little financial transparency even to its members, who are required to tithe 10 percent of their income to gain access to Mormon temples.

(Via Andrew Sullivan)

BVM Sighting Of The Day

The Examiner has the details:

The Virgin Mary's likeness was spotted in a tree at 60th Street and Bergenline Avenue in West New York, a New Jersey section of the New York metropolitan area. The Virgin appeared yesterday afternoon and has had a constant stream of visitors praying to her since that moment. A local bus rider noticed a crowd around a tree when she returned home from work yesterday around 6pm. She was heard saying she, "thought perhaps someone died because she saw the flowers and people praying." As she approached, however, she saw the likeness and began to pray.

I'm seeing something else.

Bryan Cranston For Marriage

He's the star of Breaking Bad.

PREVIEW: An AbFab Olympics

(Via Towleroad)

Haters Make Maryland Ballot

The state of Maryland has certified the marriage equality repeal petitions turned in by a coalition of hate groups.

"We're excited, we're on the ballot," said Dereck McCoy, executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, a church-led group pushing to repeal the law. "We're glad that we were able to have a loud say." The Maryland Marriage Alliance submitted 162,224 signatures to repeal the law — the most turned in on any referendum issue in recent memory. The Board of Elections stopped verifying after approving 109,313 of them. "We've determined that the petitions satisfied the legal requirements," said Donna Duncan, director of the elections management section of the state Board of Elections. A spokesman for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, a group defending the new law, would not say whether his group plans to mount a court challenge. "We're not taking any options off the table," said Kevin Nix, the spokesman. The group has long assumed that opponents would be able to put the question to voters, Nix said. "Our base is fired up, momentum is with us."

DNC On Romney's "$ecret $tash"

God Wants Ron Paul To Win

"Will you pray, 'Father, who do you want for President? In Jesus' name. Amen.' When I prayed God told me, 'Of the three, I want Ron Paul.' It matches Scripture. If the Republican Party doesn't nominate Ron Paul, then Christians should join the Constitution party and vote for Virgil Goode. Do you want someone with the Holy Spirit in the White House? Paul is going to seek the LORD for the USA. Romney and Obama are deceived and would seek Satan because they refuse to make Jesus Lord." - Pastor Steven "Jazz Hands" Andrew, via press release.

FRC Cheers Romney At NAACP

Church Sign Of The Day

Via JMG reader Gordon.

Facebook Fights Cyberbullying

Today Facebook launched a new button to report cyberbullying.

The first change is specifically for 13- and 14-year-olds (you have to be at least 13 to sign up for a Facebook account). If a boy in that age range wants to report a mean or threatening post or image a schoolmate has put on Facebook, he can click "This post is a problem" (a new phrase chosen to replace the stiff "Report") and go through a series of casually worded questions to determine what kind of issue he's having and how serious it is. There's even a grid for ranking his emotions.

Once he finishes the questions, a list of suggested actions is generated based on how pressing his complaint is. If the boy is more annoyed than than fearful, he might choose to send a pre-written message to the other person saying that the post makes him uncomfortable. If he is afraid, he will be prompted to get help from a trusted friend or adult. There are links to catch anyone who may be feeling suicidal and direct them to professionals and Facebook's own suicide chat hotline.

The change comes after Facebook collaborated with psychologists at Yale, Berkeley, and Columbia.

Headline Of The Day

From the British tabloid the Daily Mail, be advised.

Gawker Offers Reward For Name Of Person Who Infected Magic Johnson

Saying that the new PBS documentary AIDS In Black America doesn't tell the full story, the gossip site Gawker is offering a reward for the name of the person who infected Magic Johnson with HIV.

For more than 20 years, Magic Johnson has been HIV positive—but it's never been revealed who he contracted it from. Last night on PBS's Frontline documentary, "AIDS in Black America," Magic disclosed the same vague answer he's given the press since 1991: "Sleeping with a lot of women." Still, it seems odd that there's been no follow-up about which of these women was HIV positive. Or how many. [snip] If anyone has any more information about who gave Magic Johnson HIV, please feel free to contact us. I think we can afford to pay more money for this now.

Noting that the rate of female-to-male HIV transmission is very low, the above-linked piece speculates that Johnson may have contracted the disease from transsexual prostitutes at a sex party allegedly thrown by Eddie Murphy.

NOM Hires Kirk Cameron

GLAAD responds:

"Kirk Cameron and the anti-gay activists at NOM are making a claim that Americans know to be false," said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. "This rhetoric won't work anymore. Communities across this country love and cherish their LGBT neighbors, friends and family members. This includes people in families headed by LGBT people. Their implication that LGBT couples can’t create loving and stable homes is not only outdated and irrelevant; it’s designed specifically to hurt those families.”

Here's NOM's new interview with Cameron.

SPLC To Eugene Delgaudio: Stop Using Gay Wedding Photo To Spread Hate

Earlier this month we learned that hate group leader Eugene Delgaudio had stolen a gay couple's wedding photo for use in a nasty flier sent to Colorado's voters. Yesterday the Southern Poverty Law Center weighed in.

Today, the SPLC sent a cease-and-desist letter to the group and Eugene Delgaudio, its president. The letter, sent on behalf of the couple and photographer Kristina Hill, warns that the SPLC is investigating the unauthorized use of the copyrighted photo and demands that Delgaudio, Public Advocate and anyone acting on their behalf immediately stop using the photo. It asks Delgaudio to confirm within 10 days that he and Public Advocate have stopped using the photo.

“Delgaudio’s use of Brian and Tom’s personal photo is morally reprehensible,” said Christine P. Sun, deputy legal director for the SPLC. “For years, Delgaudio and Public Advocate have led a crusade against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. This latest attack is the most vicious yet and should serve as a warning that your personal photos are not safe from anyone willing to stoop to the vilest level of harassment.” Hill, the photographer, said the doctored image twists the original meaning of the image.

This will surely yet another flurry of Eugene's emails about shadowy homofascists.

NYT: It's Time To Kill DOMA

From an editorial in the New York Times:

It is a strong bet that the justices will take the [DOMA] appeal when they return from their summer break. The Justice Department is right that firmly resolving the issue is of great importance to the country and to tens of thousands of gay people denied benefits like the right to file joint tax returns and to receive spousal Social Security payments. We hope the justices will review the cases and issue a strong ruling striking down this noxious law.

Morning View - PTown Wharf

Log Cabin On Romney At NAACP

"With his opening remarks to the NAACP today, Governor Romney sent a message that he recognizes the importance of an inclusive Republican vision for victory in November. He deserves credit for taking the step to include sexual orientation by name. That said, it is unfortunate that he countered his outreach to gay and lesbian Americans with a gratuitous attack on the freedom to marry. If Governor Romney truly desires to represent all Americans, Log Cabin Republicans encourages him to avoid divisive social issues and focus on jobs and the economy." - Log Cabin Republicans head R. Clarke Cooper, via press release.

Romney: Obama Is A Liar

Open Thread Thursday

What's your favorite summer getaway?

Evening View - Pilgrim Monument

Google: Bring Your Whole Self To Work

Posted to Google's diversity page:

Legalise Love: LGBT Rights Are Human Rights

Though our business and employees are located in offices around the world, our policies on non-discrimination are universal throughout Google. We are proud to be recognised as a leader in LGBT inclusion efforts—but there’s still a long way to go. At Google, we encourage people to bring their whole selves to work. In our more than 70 offices around the world, we’re committed to cultivating a work environment where Googlers can be themselves and thrive. Legalise Love is our drive to ensure that all of our employees have the same inclusive experience outside of the office as they do at work.

Talkin' About TomKat

"Ex-Gay" Horoscope

Source. (Tipped by JMG reader Alan)

London Activists Protest Pinkwashing

At last weekend's WorldPride event in London, a group of activists waved Palestinian flags near the main event stage. Their slogan: "No pride in Israeli apartheid."

(Tipped by JMG reader Ian)

SATURDAY: Mooning Amtrak Day

Saturday is the annual Mooning of the Amtrak.

Train passengers can expect an eyeful Saturday as bare bottoms converge along the tracks at Camino Capistrano for the annual Mooning of the Amtrak. In recent years, the rowdy atmosphere surrounding the event has quieted down with an increased police presence, parking restrictions and ordinances against urination, defecation and drinking alcohol in public. In 2008, the 30-year tradition swelled to close to 10,000 revelers.

You Are Sexually Broken

The Dead Chuck Colson Center would like you to know that your orgasm should not be "the highest goal" in your life.

Medical And Psychological Groups File Amicus Brief In Support Of DOMA Suit

Read it here. (Tipped by JMG reader Bernie)

Afternoon View - PTown Pool Party

Romney Booed At NAACP Convention

Asteroid Named For Mattachine Society Cofounder Frank Kameny

The International Astronomical Union and Minor Planet Center has named an asteroid after late Mattachine Society cofounder Frank Kameny.

A Canadian amateur astronomer has named an asteroid he discovered after U.S. gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny, who died last year in Washington. Kameny, who earned a doctorate in astronomy at Harvard University, was an astronomer with the U.S. Army Map Service in the 1950s but was fired from his job for being gay. He contested the firing all the way to the Supreme Court and later organized the first gay rights protests outside the White House, the Pentagon and in Philadelphia in the 1960s.

Minor Planet 40463, which is in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter is now known as Frankkamney. Before he died, Kameny received an official apology from President Obama for his firing by the federal government more than 50 years ago.