I spend a lot of time dealing with people in my life.  At work, I come into contact sometimes with thousands of different people a week, ALL of whom may or may not share my own viewpoints on the world we all live in.  In retail I see it all and more often than not, I hear EVERYONE’S life story whether I want to or not.  It’s easy to be disillusioned about the world by some of the people who I see…from the wife beater disparaging his wife in public to the creepy skinhead showing off a white pride tattoo…do I think any of them should continue breathing?  No.  But am I going to advocate for their death?  Absolutely not.  Many of us can go through life and disagree with others and we can do so without resorting to violence to make or achieve our point.  It is not necessary for me to threaten people with their lives.  What is important however is that I can and do express myself without ramping up the rhetoric of violence.

I’m going to let Keith Oberman speak for me on this because he does it so eloquently and with so much passion and conviction.  The violence has to stop.  It has no place in our democracy or in our country.  Things must change in significant ways.  We are reaching a tipping point in this country, I can only hope that enough people have enough compassion for their neighbors that we can run the cup over with forward thinking progress rather than draining the cup with a bullet through the skull.

Sometimes we don’t notice our victories until long after a battle has been won.  Over the last couple of years, gay marriage has secured territory most people didn’t even realize was contested, and its loss will be far more devastating to gay marriage opponents than their victories in all the court cases and all the elections in the world.

I’m talking about sweetness.

Our opponents demonize us — sometimes subtly, sometimes explicitly, but viciously and relentlessly.  Their chief weapon is sex – ours, not theirs — overlaid with a self-righteous piety that is funny when Dana Carvey does it, and wrongheaded no matter whose pursed lips it leaks out of.  But while everyone from the Pope on down has been focused on the inherent disorders and immorality of homosexual sex, another front in the gay rights battle opened up: Gay teenagers in love.

Read the rest here.

I came across this little tidbit on the web tonight and wanted to share it.  Americans LOVE their entitlements!  Good lord where would we be without Medicare and Social Security, and soon Healthcare.  We love things that are handed to us on a silver platter but god forbid we be fucking rational about it.  Let’s talk about taxes and how exactly the Federal Government (the provider of Entitlements) gets money.  The primary revenue stream comes from us.  We are tax payers, we dump a certain amount of our income into the Federal Pot so to speak throughout our working lives.  This is supposed to pay (among other things) for the entitlement programs that exist and that people just can’t live without!  We all know that today, our Federal Government is in a tight spot.  The budget needs to be balanced so what happens?  We cut things that are “unnecessary” out of the budget so funds can be allocated appropriately.  Trouble is, NOBODY (or at least only a very few people) is willing to cut things out of the budget.  Take a look at the graphic below.

Take a look at those numbers.  These are all things the Government spends money on, yet hardly anyone feels they should receive lower federal funding than they are already currently getting!   In the areas above, the biggest percentages only account for 3% of the Federal Budget according to the survey!  So you could cut them out entirely, and gain nearly nothing!  So, we want our cake and we want to eat it too!  Sounds like America.

So, how do we balance the budget?  As much as I hate to tell you this, the ONLY way to balance the budget is to increase revenue and that means YOU HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.  Yes, I know, shoot me now, I get raped every week by the government taking large chunks of money from what I willingly earned by busting my ass at work for 12 hours a day.  But guess what, I am one of the few that would be willing to increase my tax contributions in order to live in a country that is actually solvent and actually spends appropriate dollars on appropriate programs for it’s citizens.  Trouble is, there aren’t very many people like me.  Only 5% of the people polled in this survey said that taxes needed to be raised.  The Chairman of the Fed knows what is necessary, even President Obama knows that taxes have to be raised but NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THAT.  I can only hope that someday, the people of my generation will come to understand reality a little better than the boomers have over the past 30 years while we grew up.  We must either reduce the size and scope of the federal government OR we must raise taxes to pay for the things that we so badly want.  It is right there in black and white.  What are you willing to do?

First:  Mississippi Prom Canceled after Lesbian’s Date Request – From USA today and nearly every other national Media outlet in the country.  This is a story about Constance McMillan of a small town in Mississippi that sought to bring her date, another girl, to the prom so she could be uncomfortable at the prom right along with everyone else.  The school board ended up denying her request and also, canceled the prom entirely to avoid having to allow her to bring her date.  Their position was that she was quite allowed to attend, just not with another woman.  With the FULL support of her parents, She and the ACLU sued the school board and yesterday a Federal judge ruled that Constance’s civil rights were violated and the school board acted inappropriately.  During all of this parents organized a “private” prom since the school was no longer going to have one.  Guess what, Constance was not invited.  This story is not over and you’ll hear more about it.

Second: Derrik Martin GOT the OK to bring his boyfriend to his prom in a little town in Georgia, the school board not really even discuss the matter only saying that they had no policy against it.  How did Derrick’s parents react to the news?  They swiftly kicked him out of the house.

There is one thing that I want to focus on here in both of these stories and that is the parents.  EVEN in 2010, parents all over this country continue to forcefully kick their children out of their house because their child had the self-confidence and courage to come out of the closet.  I bet you didn’t know that one of the largest groups of homeless youth’s are GLBT kids.  Throughout my life I have met a number of people who have not spoken to their parents since high school because their parents could not deal with their sexuality.  It really troubles me that this 18 year old senior, who is an honors student and already has a scholarship to a university in the fall now has to prepare for the next phase of his life with no support from his parents.  On the other hand Constance will not have the same issue.  She also is 18, an honors student and headed to collage in the fall with the full support and encouragement from her parents.  It should bother EVERYONE reading this blog when this sort of thing occurs.

I was pretty fortunate.  While I’m sure that my parents had to make adjustments in their thinking when I came out to them and I know that each of them had various concerns, not once did I ever have to deal with any of the coming out process without their support. Coming Out is a big deal, especially for a teenager.  50 years from now it might not be but even today, it still is.  Those of you that are straight will NEVER fully appreciate what it takes and what it means to come out and I say that with all due respect, it is simply not something you will ever experience.   I was 17 or 18 and I had written a lengthy letter through which I came out to my parents.  I spent a good 2 months writing that letter, and re-writing it and during that time I had built my own alliances with my friends in case things went the wrong way once I came up with the courage to give my parents that letter.  I had a place to stay if I had needed it, I had a support group of people outside of my own family if I needed it.  Well, I never needed to utilize any of that because while it did take some getting used to, my sexuality did not define my existence to my parents.  It was not a simple process for any of us but it was not an issue that would end our relationship or traumatize it beyond repair.  I was still their son and especially as a minor, they still understood that they had an obligation to put up with me until I was at least 18 or until I got out of high school.  They of course continued long after that and continue to support me today.  Derrick is never going to have that sort of support from his  parents and he’s at an age when honestly he might need it the most.  I know that was the case for me, I needed my parents more after high school than during it it seems.  His relationship has fundamentally changed because his parents are unable to accept their son for who he is.  It’s sad and it should upset you to know that this STILL occurs in this country in 2010.

So, the next time you are talking amongst your friends and one of them tells you they just kicked their kid out of the house because he was a queer and well Jebus just don’t like them queers you know, think long and hard about will happen to that kid and why your friend suddenly doesn’t love him or her anymore.  It should make you really question that friendship.

Keep in mind the rank is on a scale of 1 -100.  1 being the worst, 100 being the best.

In 2008 (the most recent year published) Menards Ranked 43 – From my perspective this is pretty accurate.  Menards is a pretty quiet company when it comes to politics.  Their primary objective is to make money, end of discussion.  That said, they do have anti-discrimination policies and anti-harassment policies that well exceed other companies I’ve worked for in my lifetime.  It is nearly impossible to have a successful retail business and not be somewhat tolerant and supportive of diversity.  Menards does not go out of it’s way but they do not actively contribute to a hostile climate for it’s GLBT employees.

Below is a list of the bottom of the barrel.  You’ll notice that Meijer (a company that I worked for several years ago and the company that Jirar worked for) received only a score of 20.  2 of the worst 10 companies in the country are Michigan based.  Michigan isn’t all bad, in the top 20 where companies such as the big automakers (GM, Ford), and Dow Chemical ranked with in impressive 100 score.  You can say what you like about HRC (they are a politically movtied and very active group) however their rankings do have significant importance, particularly to those companies that value the contributions of their GLBT employees.  Most of the Fortune 500 companies in this country far exceed private companies when it comes to fairness, all Fortune 500 companies exceed our Federal government when it comes to fairness and equality.

You all know that I don’t write just for my audience, this blog is nearly 3 years old now and I’ve used it for a number of reasons to document the times that we are all living in.  Yes, it does have a slant towards issues that are important to me and it should, after all, I pay money each month for web space to do with whatever I want.  More importantly though, this blog is my way of being politically active, regardless of the fact that nearly all my readers share most of my views, it’s likely that I will say something or even post something from elsewhere that you had not seen before or perhaps never considered.  I consider this blog my history book, something that I can go back to in 20 years and understand what it meant to be living in 2010!

Anyhow, I’m re-posting the opening statement below for you to read.  It lays out exactly what this trial will be about, what is at stake, who is involved, and why it is important.  I will post more as time permits and as the trial develops.

Text of Ted Olson’s Opening Statement in Prop 8 Trial as Prepared

The federal trial over the unconstitutionality of Proposition 8 began today with an opening statement by attorney Theodore Olson, who with David Boies is leading the legal team assembled by the American Foundation for Equal Rights to litigate the case Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Opening statements will be followed by testimony from Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, who comprise two couples who wish to be married but who were denied marriage licenses because of Proposition 8.

After the opening statement David Boies gave the direct examination of Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami.

OPENING STATEMENT
(as prepared)

This case is about marriage and equality.  Plaintiffs are being denied both the right to marry, and the right to equality under the law.

The Supreme Court of the United States has repeatedly described the right to marriage as “one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men;” a “basic civil right;” a component of the constitutional rights to liberty, privacy, association, and intimate choice; an expression of emotional support and public commitment; the exercise of spiritual unity; and a fulfillment of one’s self.

In short, in the words of the highest court in the land, marriage is “the most important relation in life,” and “of fundamental importance for all individuals.”

As the witnesses in this case will elaborate, marriage is central to life in America.  It promotes mental, physical and emotional health and the economic strength and stability of those who enter into a marital union.  It is the building block of family, neighborhood and community.  The California Supreme Court has declared that the right to marry is of “central importance to an individual’s opportunity to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life as a full member of society.”

Proposition 8 ended the dream of marriage, the most important relation in life, for the plaintiffs and hundreds of thousands of Californians.

___________________________________

In May of 2008, the California Supreme Court concluded that under this State’s Constitution, the right to marry a person of one’s choice extended to all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, and was available equally to same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

In November of 2008, the voters of California responded to that decision with Proposition 8, amending the State’s Constitution and, on the basis of sexual orientation and sex, slammed the door to marriage to gay and lesbian citizens.

The plaintiffs are two loving couples, American citizens, entitled to equality and due process under our Constitution.  They are in deeply committed, intimate, and longstanding relationships.  They want to marry the person they love; to enter into that “most important relation in life”; to share their dreams with their partners; and to confer the many benefits of marriage on their families.

But Proposition 8 singled out gay men and lesbians as a class, swept away their right to marry, pronounced them unequal, and declared their relationships inferior and less-deserving of respect and dignity.

In the words of the California Supreme Court, eliminating the right of individuals to marry a same-sex partner relegated those individuals to “second class” citizenship, and told them, their families and their neighbors that their love and desire for a sanctioned marital partnership was not worthy of recognition.

During this trial, Plaintiffs and leading experts in the fields of history, psychology, economics and political science will prove three fundamental points:

First – Marriage is vitally important in American society.

Second – By denying gay men and lesbians the right to marry, Proposition 8 works a grievous harm on the plaintiffs and other gay men and lesbians throughout California, and adds yet another chapter to the long history of discrimination they have suffered.

Third – Proposition 8 perpetrates this irreparable, immeasurable, discriminatory harm for no good reason.

I

MARRIAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATION IN LIFE

Plaintiffs will present evidence from leading experts, representing some of the finest academic institutions in this country and the world, who will reinforce what the highest courts of California and the United States have already repeatedly said about the importance of marriage in society and the significant benefits that marriage confers on couples, their families, and the community.  Proponents cannot dispute these basic facts.

While marriage has been a revered and important institution throughout the history of this country and this State, it has also evolved to shed irrational, unwarranted, and discriminatory restrictions and limitations that reflected the biases, prejudices or stereotypes of the past.  Marriage laws that disadvantaged women or people of disfavored race or ethnicity have been eliminated.  These changes have come from legislatures and the courts.  Far from harming the institution of marriage, the elimination of discriminatory restrictions on marriage has strengthened the institution, its vitality, and its importance in American society today.

II

PROPOSITION 8 HARMS GAY AND LESBIAN INDIVIDUALS, THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR COMMUNITIES

Proposition 8 had a simple, straightforward, and devastating purpose:  to withdraw from gay and lesbian people like the Plaintiffs their previously recognized constitutional right to marry.  The official title of the ballot measure said it all: “Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.”

Proponents of Proposition 8 have insisted that the persons they would foreclose from the institution of marriage have suffered no harm because they have been given the opportunity to form something called a “domestic partnership.”  That is a cruel fiction.

Plaintiffs will describe the harm that they suffer every day because they are prevented from marrying.  And they will describe how demeaning and insulting it can be to be told that they remain free to marry—as long, that is, that they marry someone of the opposite sex instead of the person they love, the companion of their choice.

And the evidence will demonstrate that relegating gay men and lesbians to “domestic partnerships” is to inflict upon them badges of inferiority that forever stigmatize their loving relationships as different, separate, unequal, and less worthy—something akin to a commercial venture, not a loving union.  Indeed, the proponents of Proposition 8 acknowledge that domestic partnerships are not the same as traditional marriage.  Proponents proudly proclaim that, under Proposition 8, the “unique and highly favorable imprimatur” of marriage is reserved to “opposite-sex unions.”

This government-sponsored societal stigmatization causes grave psychological and physical harms to gay men and lesbians and their families.  It increases the likelihood that they will experience discrimination and harassment; it causes immeasurable harm.

Sadly, Proposition 8 is only the most recent chapter in our nation’s long and painful history of discrimination and prejudice against gay and lesbian individuals.  They have been classified as degenerates, targeted by police, harassed in the workplace, censored, demonized, fired from government jobs, excluded from our armed forces, arrested for their private sexual conduct, and repeatedly stripped of their fundamental rights by popular vote.  Although progress has occurred, the roots of discrimination run deep and its impacts spread wide.

III

PROPOSITION 8 HARMS GAY AND LESBIAN INDIVIDUALS FOR NO GOOD REASON

Proposition 8 singles out gay and lesbian individuals alone for exclusion from the institution of marriage.  In California, even convicted murderers and child abusers enjoy the freedom to marry.  As the evidence clearly establishes, this discrimination has been placed in California’s Constitution even though its victims are, and always have been, fully contributing members of our society.   And it excludes gay men and lesbians from the institution of marriage even though the characteristic for which they are targeted—their sexual orientation—like race, sex, and ethnicity, is a fundamental aspect of their identity that they did not choose for themselves and, as the California Supreme Court has found, is highly resistant to change.

The State of California has offered no justification for its decision to eliminate the fundamental right to marry for a segment of its citizens.  And its chief legal officer, the Attorney General, admits that none exists.  And the evidence will show that each of the rationalizations for Proposition 8 invented by its Proponents is wholly without merit.

“Procreation” cannot be a justification inasmuch as Proposition 8 permits marriage by persons who are unable or have no intention of producing children.   Indeed, the institution of civil marriage in this country has never been tied to the procreative capacity of those seeking to marry.

Proposition 8 has no rational relation to the parenting of children because same-sex couples and opposite sex couples are equally permitted to have and raise children in California.  The evidence in this case will demonstrate that gay and lesbian individuals are every bit as capable of being loving, caring and effective parents as heterosexuals.  The quality of a parent is not measured by gender but the content of the heart.

And, as for protecting “traditional marriage,” our opponents “don’t know” how permitting gay and lesbian couples to marry would harm the marriages of opposite-sex couples.  Needless to say, guesswork and speculation is not an adequate justification for discrimination.  In fact, the evidence will demonstrate affirmatively that permitting loving, deeply committed, couples like the plaintiffs to marry has no impact whatsoever upon the marital relationships of others.

When voters in California were urged to enact Proposition 8, they were encouraged to believe that unless Proposition 8 were enacted, anti-gay religious institutions would be closed, gay activists would overwhelm the will of the heterosexual majority, and that children would be taught that it was “acceptable” for gay men and lesbians to marry.  Parents were urged to “protect our children” from that presumably pernicious viewpoint.

At the end of the day, whatever the motives of its Proponents, Proposition 8 enacted an utterly irrational regime to govern entitlement to the fundamental right to marry, consisting now of at least four separate and distinct classes of citizens:  (1) heterosexuals, including convicted criminals, substance abusers and sex offenders, who are permitted to marry; (2) 18,000 same-sex couples married between June and November of 2008,  who are allowed to remain married but may not remarry if they divorce or are widowed; (3) thousands of same-sex couples who were married in certain other states prior to November of 2008, whose marriages are now valid and recognized in California; and, finally (4) all other same-sex couples in California who, like the Plaintiffs, are prohibited from marrying by Proposition 8.

There is no rational justification for this unique pattern of discrimination.  Proposition 8, and the irrational pattern of California’s regulation of marriage which it promulgates, advances no legitimate state interest.  All it does is label gay and lesbian persons as different, inferior, unequal, and disfavored.  And it brands their relationships as not the same, and less-approved than those enjoyed by opposite sex couples.  It stigmatizes gays and lesbians, classifies them as outcasts, and causes needless pain, isolation and humiliation.

It is unconstitutional.

Lots of interesting things going on in politics although I don’t have the energy to report on much of it.  Eventually I’ll get around to writing another prophetic post blasting the religious right and the drag your heals left.  It’s exhausting.  I’ll leave you with a couple pictures below.  Hopefully I’ll find more time to write soon.

Santa Times 2

So here then is a list of the other things I am thankful for.  This year they tend to be somewhat political.  You need to think about some of these to understand them.

1.  I am thankful that once again another state has joined the dark ages and successfully told me that I’m not worthy of marriage by popular vote and that my humanity has been reduced to the viewpoint that I am somehow a threat to your bratty children.

2 . I am thankful our current President is indeed a liberal socialist because I truly enjoy watching tea baggers “teabag” themselves.  It’s quite a feat to be able to do that to yourself and it fascinates me that FOX news has turned from news to hardcore porn…and their viewers have no clue.

3.  I am thankful for Sarah Palin because without her the conservative right would be direction-less and none would have any idea why they support the policies they do.  After all, Sarah certainly knows and understands her positions….and so do her supporters.

4.  I am thankful for Adam Lambert because he had the audacity to expose and highlight the ridiculous double standard held by people in this country regarding sexuality.  You know it’s quite fine for 2 women to suck face on national TV but god-for-fucking-bid 2 men try it.  Keep telling them to fuck themselves Adam, maybe someday they’ll get it.

5. Finally I’m thankful for Carrie Prejean and her wonderfully large melons.  If she had not tried to inflate her ego in the same manner she inflated her chest, we might not have ever had the opportunity to watch a rising star fall so fast and so quickly.  Keep cranking out the porn Carrie, at least you’ll be able to pay your bills legally.

So, there you have it.  5 things I’m thankful for (I think) in a year that has been quite interesting politically.  Remember folks, this blog isn’t just for your reading pleasure, this is written documentation of a time in my life….that’s right, do you think we’d remember any of this in 5 years if I had not just written it down?

I’m awfully tired of this sort of thing.  Honestly I don’t really care if you are against gays having legal recognition but I REALLY care that you actually have some sort of argument to support your position.  It’s like kid asking a parent why you can’t do something and a parent telling you “BECAUSE I SAID SO”.  That might work for 10 year old but it’s a bullshit argument when directed adult to adult.  The gay marriage argument badly needs to head in a new direction and I’ve said this on my blog here before, I want to see the religion aspect of the entire debate put to rest.  Marriage in this country is not, has not ever been, nor will it EVER be anything other than a CIVIL contract provided by a SECULAR government.  What your church or your religion thinks about marriage is entirely irrelevant to the business of our government.  You can hoot and holler all you want but it simply is not an argument that you can justifiably take which is why at this point in time the best thing gays have going for them is the federal lawsuit involving DOMA.  That’s way more than I’m writing about now but this whole thing is going to get a whole lot uglier in this country before it gets any better and now is the time to figure out what you believe to be true.

From my perspective this is certainly an interesting time to be alive.  I’m too young to know much about the civil rights struggles of the 60′s but I’m old enough now to know and understand the parallels that exist.  I fully expect to see full equality in my lifetime but I’m not so naive to believe that it will be soon.

I decided to spend tonight cleaning out my office.  Filing, trashing, organizing….it’s a dam good thing my life is not very complicated.  I seem to be a pack rat like my folks.  I have lots of shit that just isn’t important to hang on to.  I did look over some receipts from purchases this past year.  I’ve spent a shit ton of money this year on toys.  A few thousand dollars to be exact.   New TV, an Apple TV box, a Droid phone, an X-box, a hard drive and other computer parts, Best Buy loves me so much that I’ve become a Silver Reward’s Zone member this year…and as a result I’ve received about $150 in gift cards from them for being such a loyal customer.  Fucking pathetic.  I will say that none of my purchases has been ill-thought out.  Everything I have purchased has been a deliberate decision backed by research and time.  I guess in some ways I’ve been living it up as a single guy now with a good income and a low cost of living.  Luckily for me (and my wallet) everything I’ve purchased can be considered a long term investment.  I won’t have to buy anything now for quite a long time…hopefully.  And I still have money left over.  Perhaps next year I will be able to save enough for a good down payment on a house of my own.  Who knows.

I’ll leave you tonight with a great little ditty from You Tube.

WOW.  It’s amazing that these folks scream that the liberal people (or the Democrats if we must lump) of this issue are Fascists (you’ve seen the posters no?  ”OBAMA IS A FACIST…SHOW ME THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE…ETC.”, yet, their actions in the past several weeks are the pure embodiment of what Fascism is all about!

Fascism, pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/, comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology^[1][2][3][4] and a corporatist economic ideology. ^[5]

Fascists believe that nations and/or races are in perpetual conflict whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by asserting themselves in conflict against the weak.^[6] Fascists advocate the creation of a single-party state.^[7] Fascist governments forbid and suppress criticism and opposition to the government and the fascist movement.^[8] Fascism opposes class conflict, blames capitalist liberal democracies for its creation and communists for exploiting the concept.^[9] Fascism is much defined by what it opposes, what scholars call the fascist negations – its opposition to individualism,^[10] rationalism, liberalism, conservatism and communism. ^[11] In the economic sphere, many fascist leaders have claimed to support a “Third Way” in economic policy, which they believed superior to both the rampant individualism of unrestrained capitalism and the severe control of state communism.^[12][13] This was to be achieved by establishing significant government control over business and labour (Mussolini called his nation’s system “the corporate state”).^[14][15] No common and concise definition exists for fascism and historians and political scientists disagree on what should be in any concise definition.^[16]

Following the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II and the publicity surrounding the atrocities committed during the period of fascist governments, the term fascist has been used as a pejorative word.^[17]

*The survey found 55% say science and religion are often in conflict and 36% say science sometimes conflicts with their own religious beliefs. Among those 36%:

*41% refer specifically to evolution, creationism, Darwinism and debates about the origin of life.

*15% cite differences over the beginning of life, primarily concerns about abortion(12%) but also cloning and birth

More important than the above it appears that the concepts of science and science education and study churn out non-believers at a fairly high rate with 41% of scientists not believing in any sort of supernatural.

While 95% of the public said they believe in God or a higher power, 41% of scientists don’t believe in either. Nearly half of scientists say they’re atheist, agnostic or believe “nothing in particular” but only 17% of the general public is unaffiliated.

As this relates to my own life, I’ve got problems with organized religion in a multitude of ways and it’s not due to any sort of lack of education about religion or the types of religion or about what exactly religious faiths project to believe.  My biggest issue is one of proof.  Most believers will tell you that you don’t need proof of God to know he exists.  I disagree.  Saying you don’t need to prove something that might be obvious is a cop out and it’s riddled with what I hate the most: A failure to think for one’s self.  Science has always played an important role in my life.  Not because nature in general is fascinating but because it was the study of science in school that taught me how to think.  Science taught me to look for answers in places you might not expect to find them, it taught me to think critically about the physical world, where we came from, how we got to where we are now, and how we might proceed in the future.  Science shapes public policy, it defines medicine, without Science, we might all still believe the Earth is at the center of the Universe.

I view religion as a “gimmie”.  Religion promotes a lack of critical thinking that I believe is necessary to survive.  It inhibits greatly a thoughtful understanding of the planet we live on, and it creates a culture that survives based only on assumptions which in my mind is extremely fragile.  It’s easy for me in this blog to point out the fundamental flaw promoted by evangelicals (most of my disagreements with organized religion are from the fruits of the evangelical or hard core believer set) that the Earth is just 6000 years old when solid scientific evidence states it is significantly older.  Certainly not all believers fall into the evangelical trap…there are plenty of people who can indeed marry religion and science and that’s fine.  I prefer knowing the difference between fact and fiction and I don’t care to take life for granted.  A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

I’m enjoying politics right now.  Not necessarily because the issues I give a shit about are winning but because I enjoy seeing politicians shove their feet down their throats and it’s rather fun right now to see a political party that was once king of the hill completely collapse.  I’ll remind you all that prior to the takeover of the republican party by theocrats somewhere in the 90′s, I would have very easily considered my political ideology to be republican leaning.  That of course has completely changed now that Republicans have lost sight of their small government tenants.   This week we’ve had a republican senator tell us that the Matthew Sheppard murder was a hoax and then, after realizing what she said (or rather having it pointed out to her), try to backpedal her way out of her bigotry.  We’ve seen a moderate republican SWITCH parties indicating that he has lost faith in what has become a party of zealots and theocrats, and we’ve seen President Obama chastise the republican party, demanding (as he rightfully should) that they actually make an attempt to meet him half way on legislation and policy ideas because the only thing they have been doing is standing in the way of his agenda and offering NOTHING to counter what Democrats are proposing.  Look, if they don’t like the policies and decisions being made it would serve republicans much better if they came up with some sort of alternative which so far they have failed to do with any sort of consistency.  They seem to have completely lost their ability to think or lead and it’s showing by the vast number of people who are fleeing the party.  I think those tax day tea parties fucked them all up.  That is in and of itself a HUGELY fruitful commentary…do those people know what tea-bagging REALLY IS????  Look it up folks, it ain’t something you’d discuss with your mother…at least not with a straight face.

In other news (but related) the newest CBS poll on attitudes towards same sex marriage shows a big jump in acceptance of full marriage equality.

Gay marriage, legal in Massachusetts, Connecticut and now Iowa, with Vermont coming aboard in September. At its low, in 2004, just 32 percent of Americans favored gay marriage, with 62 percent opposed. Now 49 percent support it versus 46 percent opposed — the first time in ABC/Post polls that supporters have outnumbered opponents. More than half, moreover — 53 percent — say gay marriages held legally in another state should be recognized as legal in their states. The surprise is that the shift has occurred across ideological groups. While conservatives are least apt to favor gay marriage, they’ve gone from 10 percent support in 2004 to 19 percent in 2006 and 30 percent now — overall a 20-point, threefold increase, alongside a 13-point gain among liberals and 14 points among moderates. (Politically, support for gay marriage has risen sharply among Democrats and independents alike, while far more slightly among Republicans.)

It’s been an interesting week to say the last.

Going to be a busy weekend at work I think.  It’s going to be cool but sunny.  That means people will be out shopping and looking for spring projects.  The trees are starting to bloom and many of the spring bulbs have finally come up and flowered.  That’s a good sign even though it’s still just dam cold.  Enjoy the weekend!

The Vermont House just voted to override the Gov. Jim Douglas’s (R) veto of the marriage bill, by a vote of 100-49. This vote, along with the Vermont Senate’s 23-5 override vote earlier this morning, means that same-sex marriage has been approved by the duly elected members of both chambers of Vermont’s legislature.

This is a big deal for two reasons.  First, because it’s yet another state that has ‘seen the light’ in regards to equality for ALL it’s citizens.  Second, because this is the first victory won by legislative process.  The idea of enacting laws through the legislature has a much wider appeal than when laws are struck down or reinterpreted by the judiciary.  It speaks louder when you have elected representatives who by default represent the people of their districts overturn or enact laws than when 4 judges make the same decisions.  I’d much rather see this finish out in the US through legislatures than by a SCOUTS ruling (which is how I think it will eventually end up…pretty much like this sort of thing has gone down in the past with most states changing marriage laws and then finally a SCOUTS ruling forcing the stragglers to conform).

I’ve had some fun today reading the reaction to not just Iowa but also Vermont and (no surprise) the city of Washington DC which also voted today to recognize any marriage legally performed in any of the 50 states.  Do remember though that the people of the District of Columbia have no real representation and quite often have their city politics interfered with by those in the capitol building…that’s another story.  For years, I grew up in Grand Rapids reading the rabid rantings of Cal Thomas in the Grand Rapids Press.  I always got a kick out of the editorials that followed from readers beating their chests explaining how right Cal is about everything that comes out of his vampire mouth.  He is one of the most widely syndicated columnists around and today he made the following pronouncement:

…The battle over same-sex marriage is on the way to being lost. For conservatives who still have faith in the political system to reverse the momentum, you are—to recall Harold Hill—“closing your eyes to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge.”

There are times when it feels good to watch other people step in dog shit.  The past few days has been one of those times.  There are still huge battles ahead (remember two steps forward one step back) and there will be setbacks and losses but I really think a tipping point has been reached and momentum is gaining towards a country that, despite it’s sordid history of criminal discrimination, will eventually rise above this issue and I might live in a country someday where I can pronounce my love for my future husband and not be called a sick faggot.

The words of his daughter could not be more true or pointed.  Opposition to this issue is largely a generational and religious one.  It’s over.  You’ve lost.

I promise one of these days I’ll quit writing about politics in this blog but you’ll have to admit that it’s far more interesting reading than anything about my boring ass lame life that I live.  Spring is apparently not going to come to northern Michigan this year, rather it will just continue to snow and be cold up until about June when the ice will melt and it will be in the 90′s for a week.  Then the leaves will fall off, the lakes will freeze again and we will go back to huddling under the blankets to keep warm.  I’m so sick of this weather I could just puke.

Looking forward to a day off on Tuesday although due to the weather, I may not do anything productive.  I’m sure the folks are enjoying much better weather in Virginia.

Big news coming out of Iowa on Friday.  No, Sarah and Brian are not expecting another baby (???–haha).  The Iowa Supreme Court is expected to issue it’s ruling on Same Sex Marriage in that state.  Not much has been said about this case except that initially things were going in favor of ruling their Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.  If Iowa were to legalize SSM, it would be the first mid-western state to do so and the 4th state in the country to do so.  I’m not getting my hopes up however it would be nice to know that even amidst the miles of corn fields, there are at least a few people who get it.  If they rule in favor of SSM, you can expect all hell to break lose, the dead will rise, the sky will fall, and the Earth will cease to exist….at least that’s what the fundies have predicted.  If they rule against it, it will simply be another setback that we will have to overcome.

In related news, the Vermont legislature has passed a gay marriage bill that will legalize gay marriage in Vermont.  You’ll recall that Vermont was the first state in the country to pass a comprehensive “in all but name” bill to give gays and lesbians all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of marriage but just not called marriage nearly 10 years ago.  The current bill moves their domestic partner program to marriage in what is logically the next step.  There is of course an issue here as well.  While this would be the fist legislature in the country to pass this sort of thing through the legislature (meaning this is not a court ordered change but a legislative change), the Governor has threatened to veto the bill.  The State House needed 99 votes to pass a veto-proof bill.  They got 95 votes.  The big question is whether or not the Governor will actually veto the bill or if he will realize that by doing so he is on the wrong side of history.  We should know the answer soon.

Not much else going on up here in the northwoods.  Easter is approaching quickly as I witnessed a bunny shitting in my garden this morning.  He’s apparently been living under my house…something I’ll have to correct rather soon.  Gavin chased him out of the yard this morning, sadly, he didn’t kill it.  Work is going well but the days are getting longer.  We are switching hours again starting on Sunday so we will be open now until 10pm at night which means I’ve just added 5 hours to my already long week.  We’ve entered a vacation black out period as well.  I get my regular days off but I can’t take any vacation days now until the end of May.  Oh well, that is what I signed up for I guess.

Anyhow, enjoy the picture below that was taken today.

The other reason I’ve not written much is because I have recently purchased a new High Def TV and an XBox.  My attention has been on the boob tube as well as trying my luck at video games (which I’m not real good at but I’m learning).  My economy is doing pretty well lately.  Profit sharing has it’s perks, especially now that I’ve been with my company for a while.  I’m finally starting to realize the snowball effect (ask me sometime what that is if you don’t know).  In another week I’ll get my yearly managers bonus which is going to be nearly twice what it was last year.  This will put me on a pretty good footing financially.  Sadly, there are lots of folks out there who are not as lucky as I am.  I’m in a good place and I’d really have to fuck up bad at this point to lose it.  I don’t foresee that happening.

On a happy note, the Pet Shop Boys have a new album being released this coming week.  I never get sick of these guys.  I’ve included their new video below.  This promises to be a great CD, I can’t wait to get it.

On to politics.  This week you should note that the CA supreme’s will take up the case against Proposition 8 which repealed marriage rights for homosexuals in California.  There is all sorts of shit you can read on this by clicking the links to the various GLBT blog links to the right.  After oral arguments, the court will have 90 days to render a decision on the issues before the court.  I’ll be interested to hear the outcome as it will have an impact (good or bad) throughout the country.  Not right away perhaps but eventually.

Off to bed now.  I’ll write more when I can find the time.  Gonna be a busy few weeks away from the computer I think.