Judy Shepard responds to the passing of hate crimes legislation in the House and to the remarks made by Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, who said the murder of Matthew Shepard because he was gay, a hoax.

Note: At the request of the Rachel Maddow Show, I am replacing the YouTube version with the video provided by MSNBC.

Please donate to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Judy and this Foundation deserve our support in the face of such terrible ignorance and hate.

“Some people are afraid of change. Don’t let them take away what makes this country so great.” Watch “We the People”…

[youtube width=”480″ height=”295”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldn8p0sAm4I[/youtube]

Boy I love these guys… They get it.

This beautifully trippy video is from Annie’s brand new single Shining Light off her upcoming greatest hits album The Annie Lennox Collection. A high production throwback to the early 70’s, Shining Light is a cover of the 2001 single by the alternative British pop band Ash.

Isn’t it so nice to see Annie doing a bit of “dress-up” again? Just like the old days.

The album is set for release February 17 in the U.S. and March 9 in Europe.

While it’s been eight long years, today is not about looking back, it’s about looking forward. Despite the recent slights to the LGBT community, whether intended or not, I still have a great sense of hope and optimism as Barack Obama becomes our next president. The breadth and scope of the issues the new administration must face is daunting, but I am hopeful that this is the right team at the right time in history to address them.

On this momentous day, the people’s faith in government and what it can do has been restored. And as long as we remain vigilant and hold our leaders to their words, that faith will endure and as Abraham Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Barack Obama’s swearing in and inaugural speech…