Just a few thoughts about yesterday’s decision by the state of Maine to not legalize gay marriage.  These quotes are from Maine’s Stand for Marriage website, which I will NOT direct traffic to here:

If Question 1 fails and LD 1020 is allowed to take effect, marriage will be redefined to be about any two consenting adults without regard to gender, the focus being only about what the adults want for themselves, and not what is best for society as a whole…The reliance on marriage as an important fabric of society will no longer matter…

This is so weird to me! Americans hate communism, but this sentiment is a fully communist sentiment. The point of marriage is ONLY about what the adults want for themselves. I didn’t say “I do.” to “society as a whole”. I said it to ONE person, and it wasn’t for the greater good, it’s because he has a big penis I love him. Also, if I didn’t have the state’s permission to marry him, I’d have done it anyway. Spending my life with Rob is worth going to jail for. I’m so thankful that isn’t the case.

A wealth of examples have been identified by legal scholars who have pointed out the conflicts that will arise between the rights of people who sincerely disagree with homosexual marriage, and the rights of homosexual couples to demand that the state enforce gay marriage whether people support it or not.

I agree that the rights of people who sincerely disagree with homosexual marriage need to be protected. Case after case have already been brought to court involving wedding professionals (especially photographers and clergy members) who refuse to work on gay weddings, citing their religious beliefs – or their simple disgust – and this is not right.  (Sidenote: although it angered as a human, I also support Ken Bardwell‘s decision to refuse to marry two people of different races as being his right as an American citizen.)  But they’re wrong; LD1020 was written with clauses put in specifically to protect those people.

Most troubling is the impact on children, particularly as the public schools begin the process of indoctrinating them on the subject of homosexual marriage.

These consequences are not hypothetical – they have already occurred in states like Massachusetts where homosexual marriage has been legalized.

In Massachusetts, which legalized homosexual marriage, children in second grade are taught in public schools that “same-sex marriage” is the same as traditional marriage, that they can grow up to marry either a boy or a girl, that either option is the same. What’s more, parents cannot opt their children out of such “instruction.”

Well, that’s what you get when you ask the government to educate your children. They get taught things the state thinks is best, not the parents.  Also, I’m calling a foul: shameful use of quotes to make your concerns seem about something more sinister.

In the end, the losers yesterday are the people who are stopped at the emergency room doors as their loved ones lay dying just beyond, the parents who loose the rights to their children because they aren’t “really the parents”, and the families who don’t have the protection that I’ll get to have as a mom when I have kids.  It’s so scary.  It’s so wrong. Where’s the protection for those that need it the most?

I leave you with this. It’s from Ireland’s campaign to legalize gay marriage.

And now for something completely different.  Politics.

On November 5, Carissa and I tried to get people’s opinions on what had happened the night before; we were hoping to generate an Obama-lovefest on video. The problem was that no one wanted to talk about it. We got a lot of “yeah, I’m way too tired, I need a break from thinking about it.” Even people who confessed they were “really excited” about him winning were just too weary, and I feel like that is the general feeling of a lot of people, even now.

However, folks, it’s time to pay attention. Four years from now the Republicans are going to come up and go “tappity-tappity-tappity-tappity-TAP! CHALLENGE!”* and it’s important that Obama supporters (regardless of what side of the aisle they sit on) are preparecd to say, “Give this guy four more years.” Or not. He might be a huge fuck up, and not deserve it. My point is that if you don’t follow along with what’s going on, you’ll never know for sure.

I’ve found this website called What is Obama Doing? So far been the easiest way to keep up with this presidency for me. Full disclosure, they seem to be biased towards a pro-Obama stance, which I don’t appreciate from a news source, but it’s really only a blog that posts other news sources, so I deal. Just a heads up. If you come across anything similar, especially one with a more critical view of the current administration, I’d appreciate knowing about it.

—

* I am referring to one of the greatest scenes in the history of the Cosby’s on television. It features the late great Howard “Sandman” Sims tapping his heart out. He used to challenge tap dancers all over the US to dance offs, even in his 70′s and 80′s, and the legend goes that he never lost. I’m pretty sure you can blame my father for my love of this clip (the black one, that is. I have two. I have to clarify.)

My response to this blog post by Gealouxy, which I’ve this quote out of.

So, will everyone just shut up about him being the first black president? It doesn’t really look or sound good and it alienates everyone else. At the end of the day, the color of his skin will not matter.

I thought about this for a while.  My conclusion is this: I don’t think anyone needs to “shut up” about him being the first black president.  It’s an historic event, and it’s worth talking about, being happy about, and celebrating.  In fact, intelligent people who did NOT vote for Obama, are disappointed he won, and disagree with his politics are ecstatic for what his win means for Civil Rights Movement.

It doesn’t look or sound “not good” to talk about it; on the contrary, it would be ridiculous to ignore it.  I don’t see how it can alienate anyone (well, maybe those that hate Civil Rights… I’m not afraid of offending them.)

Of course, there needs to be a line drawn between two things: the historical event that is having the first black President and the presidency of Barack Obama, the man himself.  I think most people find this easy to do.  You can be thrilled at the first while simultaneously being devastated at the second, or you can be happy for both, like I am.  Hey, you could even be a racist and hate that there’s a black man in the White House even though his political ideals align with your own.

I’m sad for everyone who voted for him JUST because of his skin color.  That’s very unfortunate, but I don’t think it’s where most people are.

Oh, by the way.

When I wrote my post on gay marriage, my personal feelings were so far beside the point I didn’t bother bringing them up, because, really, I can just go fuck myself with my feelings, and so can everyone else for that matter. No one needs MY permission to consider themselves married, our yours, or the pope’s, or the govenment’s or anyone else’s.

But since I was asked: if you are an adult and would like me to view you as married to another adult (and they feel the same way about you, of course!) I will. In MY eyes, you don’t need a license from the government, or to have had a ceremony in a church, or at all, or be any specific religion or religions or a certain race or color or gender. If you tell me you’re married, you are.

And do I wish that the government would allow gays to marry? Yeah, because in this (shitty) system we live in, it will make your life so much easier. Being legally married means that you can adopt a baby, or have one “the old fashioned way” and be able to keep the child that you raised but that isn’t biologically yours if your spouse dies. It means the government steals less money from you taxes you less. It means that, god forbid, you won’t have to spend the last five minutes of your spouses life pleading at the doorway of an emergency room to see them before they slip away forever after a sudden car crash. I get why this license that I have is so sought after. There’s good in the bad. It’s a lot of pitiful offerings from a horrible system, but it’s what we have.

Well, wait. It’s not what YOU have. You’re gay, and so was your husband, so you’re the one fighting the court system from ripping your family apart because it was his sperm that made your daughter. That sucks. It sucks so hard, and it’s criminal. I get it. And I’m so, so sorry. But, like the black folks have said for years: we shall overcome. Not everything. And not always, of course; even the black folks are still hated sometimes (a lot). But eventually we’ll get somewhere. We shall overcome.

UPDATE: I guess my point was that, rather than have more people opt into a bad system we should make a new system altogether; one that could not, by nature, exclude anyone.

PS -
Ditto Keith Olbermann

Don’t be a dumbass.

Heads up! On Election Day, we will be voting for other offices besides President. Do you know who’s running? Get a sample of the ballot you’ll be working with on November 4 and research the candidates and issues that you’ll be looking at. Don’t just vote down party lines, and please, for the love, don’t just vote for the person with the nicest name because that’s all you know of them. (If that IS your preferred method, do the rest of us a favor: sterilize yourself.)

I have my towns sample ballot, and I’m researching the candidates now, writing down my choices, and bringing a cheat sheet into the booth with me. Local politics are important, too, and, given the shady shenanigans of the past couple of elections, it may be the strongest voice you have.

Some states will have also have some special questions on them (like voting on Proposition 8 in California). Make sure you understand what the questions are and how you feel about them before you get to the polling place. Don’t just stand there behind the curtains scratching your head about what they mean. You might be voting for something you don’t actually believe in.

DON’T BE A DUMBASS!

If the above embed doesn’t work, go here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/real-women-respond-to-palin-webathon

or here: http://womenrespondtopalin.com/

In 2000 I idealistically voted for Nader. I wasn’t really “into” listening to the political commentary, and the little bit of research I did lead me to vote with my heart, not to influence the election. I still stand by that vote.

By 2004, I was horrified and disgusted by the aftermath of September 11th and 2003′s start of the Iraqi war, which I protested against, lost sleep over, and, five and a half years later (or, worse, 4188 American deaths later), disagree with and despise more than ever. For the first time in my life I contributed money to a campaign: Howard Dean. I was heart-broken when he lost the primary. In the final election, Kerry didn’t really seem like a great choice, but the alternative seemed so much worse. I voted against Bush, which, by default, meant for Kerry. I was upset when Bush won.

Now it’s 2008 and we have, for the first time in my life, a candidate that I admire as a politician and as a person. If Barack Obama is elected, I will finally be able to say that I love my president. Do I have problems with him? Yeah, but no one seems to be willing to let me run things (which means they would get done the right way!), so Obama is a good enough alternative.

Also, I can’t endorse someone who is ok with this war that I despise going on for “a hundred years”, doesn’t use a computer in 2008, doesn’t know what a condom does, and who doesn’t believe that women deserve equal pay. The McCain family is worth $136 million, he’s not exactly sure how many houses he owns, but he “doesn’t consider himself a rich man”. In the worlds of William Shatner, I just can’t behind that. There are other, more in-depth tax and economic reasons that I’m voting for Obama, too, but these are the issues, too often dismissed as trivial, that I have with McCain.

I usually don’t think voting on social issues is wise because I think that We The People have more influence on those issues (for now) than any President will. Still, the extreme conservativeness of Palin scares me. I don’t believe extremes in either direction belong in the White House, even as VP. So Obama it is. It’s time to take back the White House from people who will fuck it up even more.

1. Keep steadfast in your hunt for the perfect purse. It will be worth it in the end.

2. If you don’t read the paper, cancel your subscription.

3. Irish car bombs are fun! But only once.

4. Meeting people in real life from flickr is fun and not creepy! (Happy anniversary, G!)

5. You have to let bread rise twice, or it won’t be as pretty. If you can’t wait, though, it’ll still taste good having risen only once. Also, if you need it to keep for several days, undercook it a little bit. When you’re ready for a slice, cut off your slightly doughy portion and finish it in the toaster over. Fresh bread for days! Make sure you keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, though, or it will mold.

6. Tow truck drivers really do say “ten four!”

7. Seriously, don’t buy hard to register cars, like, say, vintage Volkswagons you can’t drive. Really. Really. Just don’t.

8. I build pretty snazzy shelves!

9. It’s fun to get up the day after Thanksgiving if you have fun guys to hang out with. And totally worth it if you want to score a Wii.

10. Speaking of Wii’s, you really do need to respect that they are “physical activity”.

11. I don’t need an expensive bed.

12. I don’t need two Thanksgiving dinners.

13. Photography is not too hard to learn. You should get a book, though, to help.

14. To clean vomited calamari out of your car: 1. Make your husband do it. 2. Be smug in the fact that you have something with which to mock certain friends with for a good long while.

15. There are a lot of REALLY amazing people in Puerto Rico who will help you should you find a dirty hurt dog and want to adopt them.

16. Dogs > diamonds.

17. 50mm lenses are AWESOME!

18. The iPhone is NOT over-hyped. It is awesome.

19. The only marriage anyone should ever have an opinion on is their own.

20. Rainbow Christmas > White Christmas.

21. Bringing your own shopping bags to the grocery store isn’t too hard once you get into the habit, and so much nicer than lugging gross, bad-for-the-earth plastic bags that cut into your hands.

22. When you are too sick to decorate your Christmas tree, it is wonderful to have friends come over and do it for you.

23. When you are part of a family, you can make up silly phrases, words, and songs and then use them on a regular basis. (In our family, some of them are, “Happy Dog Face”, “Happy Dog Foot”, “Uncertain Foot”, “Kind Words”, “Furminating”, “Snearaly”, “Sweetie Ears” and “Puppy Pile”. Also, the “Mountain Laurel Song” and the Song for Chubby Dogs.)

24. Rob and I have nearly the same political views. I honestly didn’t check before I married him, but I’m glad that worked out.

25. Bring your camera everywhere.

26. You can’t split a White Castle Crave Case three ways without risking a horrible stomach ache.

27. I learned a lot about the real estate and geography of western Brooklyn. In fact, I’m pretty much an expert on western Brooklyn neighborhoods.

28. Keep your eye on Tino. He’ll escape.

29. Ask tons of “stupid” questions if you’re confused about your health insurance. It will save you hundreds of dollars.

30. Dogs get colds! Who knew?!

31. Peeps are fun!

32. The dogs like goldfish, and so do I.

33. My husband makes breakfast in bed for me on my birthday. SCORE!

34. Good photography comes from the heart and soul and eyes. It does not come from the camera.

35. If you’re feeling blue, throw a dinner party with true friends who don’t care that you threw it together last minute. It will be good for your soul.

36. Margarine is the devil.

37. It’s ok to make $350,000 impulse purchases for sentimental reasons. Wait, hang on, this one I’m not sure about yet.

38. Ehhhhhh, you can cut your own hair. Well, I can.

39. If you have no dishwasher, you need to just buckle down and handwash on a regular basis, otherwise you will be stuck with Mount Dishmore.

40. Podcamp people are cool.

41. Living in Brooklyn suits me.

Would you let your parents drive drunk? Take dangerous drugs?

Of course not. So why would you stand by as they make a much more dangerous choice: voting for John McCain.

I got this as the beginning of an email from move on dot org, which I refuse to link here.

You have got to be kidding me. Exercising your right to choose who to vote for is NOT “much more dangerous” than life threatening activities!

A perfect example of what they call “the loony left”.