Via Bostonian Exile (himself a finalist for Best of the Top 3501-5000 Blogs) I discovered that I seem to be a finalist in a Weblog Awards category I have no right or desire to win, the Best LGBT Blog.

Here's what I said in a comment at Bostonian Exile:

Although it's flattering, it's a bit ironic to see that I'm nominated for a category with which I've taken issue over the years.

What this means is that I am very flattered that someone nominated me, but I am unworthy of the honor, and I feel that I would only be doing the category a disservice by being elected to it. Bear that in mind if you vote for me.

However, considering that leading finalist Pam Spaulding is an advocate of the practice of "outing" (which I consider loathsome and have repeatedly condemned in a number of posts), I would urge that readers who disagree with outing to go and vote for someone who opposes the practice. Anyone. I see that at least five libertarianish gay candidates -- Boi from Troy, Gay Patriot, Gay Orbit, Brat Boy School, and Right Rainbow -- have total votes collectively far exceeding those of the "outing" advocate (who, BTW, attacks Hillary Clinton from the left).

(I also note that a much more outspokenly pro-outing candidate has thrown his weight behind Pam Spaulding, which may indicate a certain degree of organization, although I have no way of knowing these things.)

Elsewhere in her blog, Ms. Spaulding accuses the "Right" of ignoring this report of the beating of Kansas professor Paul Mirecki (allegedly for his outspoken opposition to Intelligent Design):

I'm sure those good "Christians" that opened the can of Whoop-Ass on the professor went home, dropped on their knees and prayed for forgiveness, right?

I agree with Shakes Sis on this one -- you won't see any outrage on the Right about this.

I am as outraged as I would be if a group of ID opponents had beaten up an ID advocate, and now that I have read about the incident, I'm not going to ignore it. I'd like to know what happened. In a more recent story from the Lawrence Journal-World (the source cited in the blog above), Professor Mirecki is now "declin[ing] to clarify" reporters' questions about the incident:

“I got the hell beat out of me,” he told the Journal-World on Monday.

Key facts about the reported attack remained unclear Tuesday, including exactly where it happened. A report released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the location was “unknown” and listed it as south of 31st Street on either East 1400 Road or East 1500 Road.

Louisiana Street turns into East 1400 Road outside the city limits. Haskell Avenue becomes East 1500 Road.

Also, there was conflicting information about whether Mirecki reported it at the scene or at the hospital. In an interview Monday with the Journal-World, he said he called police from the side of the road, but sheriff’s officials said they were dispatched to the hospital.

Mirecki declined to clarify the discrepancy when asked about it Tuesday outside the sheriff’s office.

“I can; I just don’t want to,” he said.

The sheriff’s report, which is classified as an aggravated battery, says that Mirecki suffered minor injuries. It says the incident started about 6:20 a.m. and was reported about 6:40 a.m.

As to the suspects, all we know is the following:

two white men in their 30s or 40s, one with a red visor and wool gloves, both wearing jeans, and driving a large pickup truck.

But if the professor's memory is accurate, I think it's fair to assume the men were white bigots driving a "large pickup," isn't it?

And according to the above blogger, the "large pickup" of choice for bigots these days seems to be the Ford Klansman:

As the logo says, they're "Fundie Tough." (For Fundie Toughs, perhaps?)

Look, I abhor bigotry, and I think saying Intelligent Design equals fundamentalism equals the Taliban equals the Ku Klux Klan is bigotry, pure and simple. Might as well say that being gay equals the "Radical Homosexual Agenda" equals NAMBLA. (Or that being a gay conservative or gay libertarian equals "self loathing," for that matter....)

With all that in mind, go vote.

MORE: Sean Gleeson is skeptical of Professor Mirecki's version of the beating.

AND MORE: Professor Mirecki has resigned:

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Two days after saying he was the victim of a roadside beating that may have been connected to a controversial creationism class, a religious studies professor has resigned from the University of Kansas.

Barbara Romzek, KU's interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said Wednesday that she had accepted Associate Professor Paul Mirecki's resignation as chair of the department of religious studies.

MORE: Michelle Malkin (whom I thank for linking this post) has a number of links to blog posts discussing the still-unfolding Mirecki matter.

Also, J.D. at Evolution (himself an evolution advocate from Lawrence, Kansas -- who's written several posts about Mirecki) is increasingly skeptical of Mirecki's version of the story, and has still more links to other blog posts.

Stay tuned. (If this keeps up I'll have to start a new post on Mirecki.....)