Open Letter To Congress

Dear Congress,

The United States has more people in prison than any other country. We’re in debt nearly 9 trillion dollars. We have the second worst newborn death rate in the modern world. 2/3rds of young Americans can’t find Iraq on a map. The dollar is falling, falling, falling. Iraq is a mess. Our 15 year olds rank 24 out of 38 in mathematics and 26 of 38 in problem solving. We’re the fattest nation in the world! Hello, Iran? The number of uninsured Americans continues to rise. We haven’t found Osama bin Laden.. and yet,Congress is focusing its power and efforts on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Seriously?

And you wonder why the vast majority of Americans disapprove of the job you’re doing. [“Dear Congress” (Audacity)]

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Tags: Congress, Iraq, Gay Rights, Iran, Osama bin Laden, national debt, stupid

Don’t Hate Me But…

• I don’t care who’s flag you’re flying…I swear I don’t care if you feel the need to fly the Mexican flag, the American flag, or the Confederate flag on your flagpole.  Mostly I’m tired of people complaining about what people should be flying or what it means or who it’s insulting.

  What kills me is that all of those people who are demanding that the American flag be honored above all others don’t seem to care that no one seems to bother taking them down every night or in bad weather anymore.  There are hundreds of those dirty tattered little car flags attatched to SUV windows all over the country and no one seems to think it’s a disonor to the flag to let them continue in that sad condition, but every time anyone talks about burning the flag, which is the recommended way of destroying a flag, everyone gets up in arms.

  As for the other flags — I don’t really care…I came from the South; I feel a bit of Southern pride.  I do however, understand when it’s appropriate to show it and when it’s not.  I appreciate the historical value of the flag and that it represented more than just the idea that the South was about Slavery, but it seems that so many people can’t seem to look at the Confederate flag without seeing that.  The War was about so much more than Slavery…in fact, Lincoln didn’t free the slaves until well after the war had begun…you might look that up if you have any doubts.  I’m not making excuses, I’m just saying that Southerners have a different view…they believe the South was once a great place once upon a time and they’re proud of that and why does it have to be all about Slavery?

  As for the Mexican flag or whatever flag any immigrant decides to fly, I don’t care.  Let them fly it.  Stop whining about it.  It’s where they came from.  They’re just as proud of their heritige as you are of yours.  Mind you, again, there are times of appropriateness.  But whatever.  I just wish people would get over it.

• I don’t care about the Dixie Chicks.  Really.  I liked their first two albumns.  I supported their right to free speech.  I thought it was innappropriate where they chose to speak when they spoke out about the war way back, but I agreed with them.  However, they didn’t learn to shut up and they turned into major bitches in the Country world…it probably doesn’t help that I worked with a cousin of two of the Chicks and it runs in the family.  Anyway, I’ll continue to support their right to free speech, but I’m no longer listening and I can’t believe everyone’s making such a big deal about what they have to say still.
• Really, WTF is wrong with the GOP?  Aren’t there more pressing issues going on in the world than gay marriage?

Tags: Dixie Chicks, Gay Rights, GOP

Quote of the Day: Russ Feingold On Gay Marriage

“Gay and lesbian couples should be able to marry and have access to the same rights, privileges and benefits that straight couples currently enjoy.” Feingold went on to add, “[This] kind of discrimination … has no place in our laws, especially in a progressive state like Wisconsin. The time has come to end this discrimination and the politics of divisiveness that has become part of this issue.”
– Russ Feingold [“Feingold announces support for full gay marriage rights” (The Raw Story)]

Tags: Quote of the Day, Gay Rights, Russ Feingold

Get Off Your Ass & Vote Tomorrow!

I’m fairly certain that in most places in the United States tomorrow there will be a voting booth open. Oh, sure, there’s nothing big to vote on like the Presidency, but there’s still important decisions to make.

Heck, here in Maine, we’re voting on the right to discriminate against perceived homosexuals. Oh, I’ll be voting “no” against repealing the law that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination, but the important thing is that people get out and make an educated vote for whatever their cause. Just because you think whatever’s on the ballot doesn’t affect you, just because you think it’s not as important as last year’s election, doesn’t mean you don’t have a responsibility to vote.

Think of those countries we’re bringing democracy to and how they’ve risked their lives to go to the polls and cast their vote and make their voice count. The likelihood of a polling place here in the states, in your community, getting bombed tomorrow is probably less than the likelihood of a whole day passing in the entire Middle East without a bomb or attack of some sort. Be a role model. Don’t take for granted the very thing our soldiers are dying to give other people!

You know, people died in this country so we could have the right to vote too. Maybe we shouldn’t disrespect their sacrifice for our personal freedoms.

Tags: vote, politics, Gay Rights, Discrimination, Freedoms

Maine’s “Unneeded” Law Protecting Gays & Lesbians

Here in Maine, we’re getting ready to vote on whether or not to keep a newly passed law that will protect the rights of fellow Mainers based on their sexuality or preceived sexuality.

First of all, I think Question 1 is worded strangely — possibly to confuse voters as to what exactly they are voting for.

Do you want to reject the new law that would protect people from discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and credit based on their sexual orientation?

The important thing to note is that a “yes” vote would repeal the law and a “no” vote will keep it on the books. Oh, and the law defines sexual orientation as “a person’s actual or perceived hetrosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality or gender identity or epression.” Repealing the law would mean that whether or not you are a gay or lesbian or bisexual or hetrosexual, it will not be against the law for someone to judge you based on their impression of you and fire you, harrass you, deny you an apartment or a hotel room, or even enrollment in a university based on their personal judgement of you.

Get that? The discrimination is legal even if the boss or landlord just imagines you might be “a little light in your loafers” for his taste.

Last Sunday’s Maine Sunday Telegram had a couple of front page articles on the subject since the vote is a hop, skip, and a jump away, and there was something in the one titled “Grievances unlikely to surge if Maine gay rights law upheld” that has been nagging at me. Actually, it’s the subheader that’s been nagging at me — you know, that place between the headline and the byline (Mark Peters, by the way)?

Critics say a lack of filings in other states proves the law isn’t needed here.

So, I’ve been wondering why it is that the law isn’t needed?

Is it because no one in Maine discriminates based on sexuality? Are we such an openminded Blue state liberal community that we would never ever have an incident where this might occur?

And if that’s the case, if it’s not needed because no one would do it, what’s the harm of leaving it on the books? Why spent all this time and money petitioning to have a repeal option be put on the November ballot and advertising about what a bad idea it is? If it’s so unneeded then leaving it won’t harm anyone because it’ll never come up in a court case, right?

Some opponents of the state law say there isn’t evidence gays and lesbians face discrimination in Maine.

“I don’t discriminated against them, and I don’t see how other people do,” said Jill Taylor, an opponent of the law who collected signatures to help force the Novemeber vote.

The stay-at-home mom in Buxton fears that passage of the gay rights law will further erode the freedom of Christians to speak openly about their faith.

Wow, that’s mind-boggling. I mean, I don’t think there’s anything in that law that says that Christians (of which I am one) can’t speak openly about their faith. It just says that they can’t judge others and discriminate against them because of their faith.

discriminate

to make a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit; especially : to make a difference in treatment on a basis prohibited by law (as national origin, race, sex, religion, age, or disability)

You know, I’m fairly sure that God would approve of such a law. Remember, Jesus loved all the children; he never said don’t love if they are a different race or a different sexuality or a different religion. Oh, he didn’t say you have to love them, but I’m fairly certain that hate is a pretty un-Jesus-y thing to do. Oh sure, you aren’t supposed to love the sin, but then we’re all sinners. None of us but Jesus are above sinning. Of course, whatever choices anyone makes in this life that doesn’t actually harm anyone else really is between that person and God in my opinion. I don’t think you get moved up to the front of the line to the Heavenly Gates because you were more disapproving of sin than others.

Just my 2¢ whatever they’re worth.

If you’re wondering, I’ll be voting “no” on Novemeber 8th. It just seems like the Christian thing to do.

Source: Maine Sunday Tribune, October 16, 2005.
Recommended Reading: Maine Won’t Discriminate

Tags: politics, Maine, vote, Gay Rights, Christian bigotry

Round ‘n’ Round We Go

I don’t understand what’s going on in our country right now. I just don’t get how the Religious Right can be campaigning so adamantly about making abortion illegal and keeping gays and lesbians from marrying each other and all the while spouting Bible verses as their reasons; yet there is also a strong movement in this country to have The Ten Commandments removed from public courthouses because of separation of Church and State. If we’re so interested in keeping our Church and State separate, why are legislators trying to pass laws that affect other people’s lives based on their own personal religious beliefs?

I just don’t get it. This world seems more and more illogical and contradictory by the day.

Tags: abortion, Gay Rights, Christian Zealots, politics

Support Your President Does Not Mean Follow Blindly

O.K. So, yes, I’m disappointed in the election results.

Honestly? I thought I would be crushed but I’m not. I thought the election was very close though those “on the winning team” seem to think 3.5 million is a big difference though when you consider how many people voted, it’s a drop in the bucket.

So, the Republicans have the White House and Congress. Eleven states shamefully passed constitutional bans that allow a class of people to be discriminated in, which I admit surprised the hell out of me in this day and age.

I’m looking at the silver lining these days.

For the next four years, the Republicans will have no one to blame but themselves for the mess they’ve created in the last four years and as someone kindly pointed out to me recently, John Kerry would not have gotten anything done if he had won because the Republican Congress would have blocked him every which way and he would have been heavily criticized for every little thing. President Bush made the mess and now he gets to sit in it.

Am I worried?

Yes.

Am I bitter?

No.

Mostly I’m tired of the whining, the gloating, and the hateful name-calling between people on both sides of the party lines. I’m disgusted with how nasty the whole election became and how this administration is acting. Bush says he wants to be a uniter but his actions conflict with his words. He’s encouraging the petty, spiteful behavior between people who are now separating themselves based on the colors of the election map. It’s like a giant gang war is about to happen nationwide, the Reds vs. the Blues.

Who cares? Stop whining about what could have been. Figure out what went wrong. Figure out what things you want to do in the next four years to support the things you want to happen and protest those things you feel strongly are wrong. For me, I’m going to get more involved in getting people to register to vote, to care enough to be informed, to get out and vote. Really, I felt strongly about who I wanted in the White House and I voted that way but what I cared about was that people got out and voted and people did in record numbers. I heard last night that a record number of young people under 30 voted this year. Heck, more people voted for John Kerry than voted for Ronald Reagan and more people voted for George W. Bush than any other president in history. As nasty as it all got, people did feel passionate about voting. I’m sorry to see people not channelling that passion in positive ways now rather than dwelling on losing.

I will say that it was eery to be here in Maine the day after the election. It was sad. So many people were just walking around in shock and in mourning. My gay friends were the most affected though Maine was not one of the 11 states of shame. I must say that I feel for them because I wonder why anyone believes that this is the right thing to do. I can’t imagine that Jesus meant for us to love our neighbors and stomp on their legal rights at the same time.

One last comment. A pet peeve I’ve developed. People who voted for Bush keep angrily telling people who didn’t to just shut up and support our President and while I really want to point out that most liberals endured 8 years of Rush’s “White House Under Seige” rants and a witch hunt to find anything on Clinton to criticize and a ridiculous tempertantrum over the fact that he had an affair and lied about it when he should never have been asked about it in the first place, the truth is that no matter who is President, it is our American right to not follow our leaders blindly like sheep. They aren’t perfect and how will they know what we want and if we’re happy with their work if we keep our mouths shut? I support my country. I love my country but I will not follow blindly on a path I do not believe my country should be travelling down. I want my voice to be heard.

Tags: politics, 2004 election, Gay Rights, Republicans, Congress

On Politics and Arm-chair Politicians

Talking politics is a quick way to make friends and enemies these days. Personally, I have tried not to discuss politics or religion in my journals or with my friends “back home”. For the most part I discovered that some people tend to take both subjects way too personally and feel the fanatical need to convert everyone they know to the “right” way of thinking which is of course always their way. Some of my friends “back home” had a penchant for getting into loud, angry, pissing matches over politics, religion, and sometimes even books and movies and while I enjoy a good debate, I don’t like shouting matches or banging my head against a wall.

For the most part, many people either make up their minds and cling to those opinions no matter what the facts or opinions of others or they do as their parents or spouses do and believe what their parents or spouses believe. Sometimes both options play a part. Unfortunately many people never let exeriences or newly learned facts to change their opinions; they cling to the belief that they are right despite everything.

Some of my friends “back home” are like that which is why I don’t allow such topics on the mailing list we all use to keep track of each other. People become too easily offended, emails fly back and forth because people are offended or they want to force others to see things their way. It’s all very unpleasant and sad.

I like to keep an open-mind. I won’t say that I don’t think I’m right. I just admit that I could be wrong. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me. In fact, my opinions on many things have changed over the last 33 years. Things I believed in with all my heart when I was a teenager have proven themselves not true or have become questionable as my experiences and new facts have reared their ugly heads. I may still be a bit naive. I may still not understand every facet of everything going on in the world, but at the very least I have an open-mind and I accept when I’m wrong and I find talking, debating with others either strengthens my beliefs or changes them.

I think it’s a sign of a mature individual…though I don’t know that I’m all that mature or that I’m even mentally healthy at times.

So, I’ve come to enjoy in my new life the ability to have mature, adult conversations about politics with people here and people I’ve met online — people who don’t just shout rhetoric back and forth and people who have a clue not only about what is going on in the world but don’t believe everything they hear or read.

So, here is my political stance for those of you who are interested:

• I have voted for every President who has been in office since I started voting at 18 years old — I’m 33 now.
• I have been registered as a Republican, a Democrat, and an Independent at various times in my life. Currently, I am registered as a Democrat though 3 months ago I was an Independent.
• I have never believed that we should invade Iraq. I never thought they had weapons of mass destruction last year. I can’t believe the Bush Administration keeps insisting that is why were are there. I don’t know why other countries who do indeed have weapons of mass destruction have been left to their own devices. I believe we were lied to and if we weren’t lied to then the Bush Administration can’t admit they made an error in judgement and I don’t know which is worse.
• I was for invading Afghanistan but very disappointed that Bush didn’t finish the job.
• I am offended that Bush doesn’t think the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries is an issue. The companies might be saving money but they aren’t passing along that savings to the unemployed masses.
• I am offended that Bush’s administration thinks that the 1.25 million jobs they “created” in the last few months should quell the rising voices when the jobs that have been created are not equivallent in skill or money to the ones that millions of Americans have lost over the last 4 years.
• I am horrified that Bush wants to change the law to keep Americans who love each other from any kind of union, whether you call it a marriage or not, and the rights and benefits such a union should have.
• I am against abortion but believe it’s not my place to tell anyone they can’t have one for whatever reason.
• I am against the draft.
• I am against any merge of church and state and yet Bush’s administration is constantly dragging religion into their politics.
• Bush’s administration scares the hell out of me. I really believe they are out of control and believe that they are too powerful to be ruled by the laws, standards, and beliefs they hold everyone else to.
• It scares me to talk to people who still believe there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. It scares me to listen to people who swear by every word that comes out of Bush’s mouth.
• It scares me that people still think there was a connection between Sadaam and 9/11. I never thought there was and it makes me sick to think that propaganda was used and so widely believed.
• It scares me that people don’t realize that some of those prisoners in those Iraqi prisons were innocent bystanders who were arrested by accident, tortured and humiliated, and even killed. People were killed in inhumane and compassionless ways and yet we are justified because other people that look like them caused 9/11 and other people who look like them have been killing hostages in the Middle East — ironically, the terrorists weren’t in Iraq before we arrived and opened the door but their presence now is used as a reason why we invaded…
• I am afraid of the Homeland Security and the Big Brother concept that it is.
• I am afraid that the terrorists have won by causing us to step closer to losing the freedoms they hate us for.

Tags: politics, dysfunctional drama, George W. Bush, outsourcing, Afghanistan, Gay Rights, abortion, pro-choice, WMD, innocent, detainees, Homeland Security, Terrorists