"Curing" those evil gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people? Yeah...there was an app for that. And thanks to the massive action of Truth Wins Out on Change.org and the searing heat people blasted Apple with, they got rid of it. But I can't quite shake this whole insanity out of my head. What the hell was Apple thinking?? Did Steve Jobs really sign-off on this bigoted piece of homophobia and xenophobia? True enough, Apple has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat the "Prop 8" ban on gay marriage out here in California and several months ago they took down another anti-gay app from iTunes that called same-sex couples "immoral". Thankfully that effort was also powered by Change.org. It just knocks me on my ass that Apple would actually give Exodus International a platform to spew their hate in the first place. For those out there who haven't heard of them, they're a group which supports the idea of "conversion therapy" -- remember that loving technique?? Somehow, it always reminds me of A Clockwork Orange and the traumatic conversion Alex went through with his eyes pinned open. It's supposed to be great for de-gaying queer folk into shiny, happy heteros...not to mention cheerleading concepts they throw around like "freedom from homosexuality", "spiritual warfare" and the beliefs that LGBTQ folks are evil and "satanic" and in need of a cure. And as if it couldn't get any stranger, Apple actually labeled the app as "non-offensive".
So...yes, Apple took them down. But I'm beyond bothered that they even approved such hateful things in the first place. And this recent spectacle of Apple and Jobs getting in bed with Rupert Murdoch and Fox for the daily iPad-only newspaper absolutely makes my skin crawl. I'm done. I'm done with the "Apple-opoly". I'm in the process of looking into new mp3 options -- I haven't been a digital junkie anyway when it comes to buying albums online. I actually like holding the album/cd/cassette in my hand, looking at the artwork, reading the lyrics, names of session musicians, instruments, "thank you's" and dedications. Yes, I like the convenience of having a way to load my cds and old LP's into the computer and being able to listen to my own personal jukebox, but there are increasingly more and more options out there other than iTunes (and, no, I'm not going the other way with Gates and Microsoft). Thankfully I've held on to my sanity and refused to jump on-board the iPad/iPhone crazy trains. There have to be other options out there for conscious consumers to choose from, and if there aren't I want to find a way to support the people trying to create them. The older I get, the more I still want to walk my talk and put my money in the right places. I'm feeling the same way about this new merger happening between AT&T and T-Mobile and the choices out there for cell carriers. It's beyond disturbing that both AT&T and Verizon have supported right wing causes and politicians (like anti-unionist Scott Walker in Wisconsin) -- and the bat-shit-crazy Tea Party insanity. In the words of my dear friend Sue, a passionate Texas spit-fire and proud, elder lesbian who died last November...."There has to be another way". Happy Birthday, Sue. I miss you dearly, chica x0x0x
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