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I got goosebumps when Aretha Franklin sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and felt so happy for Joe Biden as he took the Oath of Office as Vice President of the United States.
I was frozen in place, glued to the television as I heard Barack Obama take the Oath of Office becoming the 44th President of the United States of America!! What a wonderful moment this is not only for America, but for the world! And now his acceptance speech...
If I could sum up what I have just heard in a word, it would undoubtedly be HOPE! President Obama did not mix words about the challenges we currently face both domestically and worldwide, but he did confidently proclaim, "...they will be met!" He spoke of so many current issues and always offered a solution or, at the very least, a promise to work towards successful ends. To critics of change, he reminded them of past challenges and the spirit of determination that has fueled the ability of people to overcome insurmountable odds throughout history. He extended a hand to those governments and people of the world opposed to the United States, that we might all find common ground and live together in peace. He asked the prosperous countries of the world to band together and work to help those less fortunate, to elevate the quality of life for all mankind. In conclusion, he appropriately quoted from President George Washington, "Let it be told to a future world, that in the depth of winter when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country alarmed at one common danger came forth to meet it." And President Obama eloquently added, "...when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we faulter..."
Today begins a new chapter of hope and a reaffirmation of determination to make this world a better place. Why do I feel this way you may ask? BECAUSE WE CAN!
Congratulations Preisdent Obama! You have made me again proud to be an American!!
- Mood:
hopeful
Well, here we are in the final hours of the year 2008. I, as many people do, get a bit nostalgic at this time of year and would like to share some of my reflections on 2008. It has been a bittersweet year for me and I am feeling a wide range of emotions about it all...
In March I was told by my doctor that I have achieved 10 years cancer free and he now considers me "cured". He cautioned that there are no guarantees in life and gave me a realistic less-than-1% chance of any reoccurance - I'll take it! Early detection, aggressive medical treatment and sheer determination to win this battle saved my life. Anything less and I would not be here to write this today!
I was fortunate enough to spend a week with Steve's family in England at the end of April. They have always treated me as one of their own and I am so happy I had this time to bond with them even more. I could not ask for better inlaws!
July was a very dark time for me - my last grandparent passed away. Grandma was 87 and had lived a good and full life, but I miss her none-the-less. I have so many wonderful memories of her that I will cherish for all my days and I am thankful for every one of them. My heart still hurts from losing her, but I suspect that I will always feel that way to some degree. I find solace in her being reunited with my Grandpa who passed 5 years back and I fear that his quiet afterlife is now over!
I am very pleased to announce that Steve and I celebrated 6 years together in August. He and I have grown together over the years becoming best friends, as well as partners and I feel very fortunate to share my life with him. I cannot wait to see where the future take us...
In September, I spent 2 weeks in my favorite place in the whole world - Hawai'i of course! The first week was spent on Kaua'i and the second week was on the Big Island. I honestly don't feel more at home and peaceful than I do when visiting the Hawaiian Islands! Aloha!!
2008 was an extremely politically charged year for a number of reasons. I am so proud that my country elected the first mixed-race man to the office of President of the United States in the November election! We have now been given hope again and a fantastic chance for a brighter future awaits us all! However, I am so very ashamed of my home state of California for passing the bigoted and hateful legislation of Proposition 8. When did we start voting on civil rights in this country?
As a result of this horrible economic recession, I was laid off my job of almost 6 years in November. Another fine situation to thank Pres. Bush for! I am not letting it get me down - everytime one door closes, another one opens. I now have the opportunity to explore some options that I wouldn't have if I were still employed. I have decided that my dream job will be as a Park Ranger at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park - stay tuned...
My sister and her family came out to celebrate Christmas with the family. This was the first Christmas we have had all together in many years. I even woke up in the middle of the night to play Santa for my niece and nephew! The absence of my Grandma weighed on everyone, but we had a wonderful time just as she would have wanted.
So, writing this helps me to conclude the chapter of my life entitled "2008". Everything that I have experienced this past year has become part of me and has helped me to define myself. All the smiles, tears, laughs, accomplishments, disappointments, dreams, hopes and fears are mine and with them I will remember, learn and grow. I look eagerly forward to 2009 and for all the new experiences the coming year will add to my life...
- Location:Home
- Mood:
nostalgic
Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side.
Of course not, yet the religious opponents of gay marriage would have it be so.
The battle over gay marriage has been waged for more than a decade, but within the last six months—since California legalized gay marriage and then, with a ballot initiative in November, amended its Constitution to prohibit it—the debate has grown into a full-scale war, with religious-rhetoric slinging to match. Not since 1860, when the country's pulpits were full of preachers pronouncing on slavery, pro and con, has one of our basic social (and economic) institutions been so subject to biblical scrutiny. But whereas in the Civil War the traditionalists had their James Henley Thornwell—and the advocates for change, their Henry Ward Beecher—this time the sides are unevenly matched. All the religious rhetoric, it seems, has been on the side of the gay-marriage opponents, who use Scripture as the foundation for their objections.
The argument goes something like this statement, which the Rev. Richard A. Hunter, a United Methodist minister, gave to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in June: "The Bible and Jesus define marriage as between one man and one woman. The church cannot condone or bless same-sex marriages because this stands in opposition to Scripture and our tradition."
To which there are two obvious responses: First, while the Bible and Jesus say many important things about love and family, neither explicitly defines marriage as between one man and one woman. And second, as the examples above illustrate, no sensible modern person wants marriage—theirs or anyone else's —to look in its particulars anything like what the Bible describes. "Marriage" in America refers to two separate things, a religious institution and a civil one, though it is most often enacted as a messy conflation of the two. As a civil institution, marriage offers practical benefits to both partners: contractual rights having to do with taxes; insurance; the care and custody of children; visitation rights; and inheritance. As a religious institution, marriage offers something else: a commitment of both partners before God to love, honor and cherish each other—in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer—in accordance with God's will. In a religious marriage, two people promise to take care of each other, profoundly, the way they believe God cares for them. Biblical literalists will disagree, but the Bible is a living document, powerful for more than 2,000 years because its truths speak to us even as we change through history. In that light, Scripture gives us no good reason why gays and lesbians should not be (civilly and religiously) married—and a number of excellent reasons why they should.
In the Old Testament, the concept of family is fundamental, but examples of what social conservatives would call "the traditional family" are scarcely to be found. Marriage was critical to the passing along of tradition and history, as well as to maintaining the Jews' precious and fragile monotheism. But as the Barnard University Bible scholar Alan Segal puts it, the arrangement was between "one man and as many women as he could pay for." Social conservatives point to Adam and Eve as evidence for their one man, one woman argument—in particular, this verse from Genesis: "Therefore shall a man leave his mother and father, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh." But as Segal says, if you believe that the Bible was written by men and not handed down in its leather bindings by God, then that verse was written by people for whom polygamy was the way of the world. (The fact that homosexual couples cannot procreate has also been raised as a biblical objection, for didn't God say, "Be fruitful and multiply"? But the Bible authors could never have imagined the brave new world of international adoption and assisted reproductive technology—and besides, heterosexuals who are infertile or past the age of reproducing get married all the time.)
Ozzie and Harriet are nowhere in the New Testament either. The biblical Jesus was—in spite of recent efforts of novelists to paint him otherwise—emphatically unmarried. He preached a radical kind of family, a caring community of believers, whose bond in God superseded all blood ties. Leave your families and follow me, Jesus says in the gospels. There will be no marriage in heaven, he says in Matthew. Jesus never mentions homosexuality, but he roundly condemns divorce (leaving a loophole in some cases for the husbands of unfaithful women).
The apostle Paul echoed the Christian Lord's lack of interest in matters of the flesh. For him, celibacy was the Christian ideal, but family stability was the best alternative. Marry if you must, he told his audiences, but do not get divorced. "To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): a wife must not separate from her husband." It probably goes without saying that the phrase "gay marriage" does not appear in the Bible at all.
If the bible doesn't give abundant examples of traditional marriage, then what are the gay-marriage opponents really exercised about? Well, homosexuality, of course—specifically sex between men. Sex between women has never, even in biblical times, raised as much ire. In its entry on "Homosexual Practices," the Anchor Bible Dictionary notes that nowhere in the Bible do its authors refer to sex between women, "possibly because it did not result in true physical 'union' (by male entry)." The Bible does condemn gay male sex in a handful of passages. Twice Leviticus refers to sex between men as "an abomination" (King James version), but these are throwaway lines in a peculiar text given over to codes for living in the ancient Jewish world, a text that devotes verse after verse to treatments for leprosy, cleanliness rituals for menstruating women and the correct way to sacrifice a goat—or a lamb or a turtle dove. Most of us no longer heed Leviticus on haircuts or blood sacrifices; our modern understanding of the world has surpassed its prescriptions. Why would we regard its condemnation of homosexuality with more seriousness than we regard its advice, which is far lengthier, on the best price to pay for a slave?
Paul was tough on homosexuality, though recently progressive scholars have argued that his condemnation of men who "were inflamed with lust for one another" (which he calls "a perversion") is really a critique of the worst kind of wickedness: self-delusion, violence, promiscuity and debauchery. In his book "The Arrogance of Nations," the scholar Neil Elliott argues that Paul is referring in this famous passage to the depravity of the Roman emperors, the craven habits of Nero and Caligula, a reference his audience would have grasped instantly. "Paul is not talking about what we call homosexuality at all," Elliott says. "He's talking about a certain group of people who have done everything in this list. We're not dealing with anything like gay love or gay marriage. We're talking about really, really violent people who meet their end and are judged by God." In any case, one might add, Paul argued more strenuously against divorce—and at least half of the Christians in America disregard that teaching.
Religious objections to gay marriage are rooted not in the Bible at all, then, but in custom and tradition (and, to talk turkey for a minute, a personal discomfort with gay sex that transcends theological argument). Common prayers and rituals reflect our common practice: the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer describes the participants in a marriage as "the man and the woman." But common practice changes—and for the better, as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice." The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers (and in Leviticus, for men who have sex with men, for that matter). It provides conceptual shelter for anti-Semites. A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours.
Marriage, specifically, has evolved so as to be unrecognizable to the wives of Abraham and Jacob. Monogamy became the norm in the Christian world in the sixth century; husbands' frequent enjoyment of mistresses and prostitutes became taboo by the beginning of the 20th. (In the NEWSWEEK POLL, 55 percent of respondents said that married heterosexuals who have sex with someone other than their spouses are more morally objectionable than a gay couple in a committed sexual relationship.) By the mid-19th century, U.S. courts were siding with wives who were the victims of domestic violence, and by the 1970s most states had gotten rid of their "head and master" laws, which gave husbands the right to decide where a family would live and whether a wife would be able to take a job. Today's vision of marriage as a union of equal partners, joined in a relationship both romantic and pragmatic, is, by very recent standards, radical, says Stephanie Coontz, author of "Marriage, a History."
Religious wedding ceremonies have already changed to reflect new conceptions of marriage. Remember when we used to say "man and wife" instead of "husband and wife"? Remember when we stopped using the word "obey"? Even Miss Manners, the voice of tradition and reason, approved in 1997 of that change. "It seems," she wrote, "that dropping 'obey' was a sensible editing of a service that made assumptions about marriage that the society no longer holds."
We cannot look to the Bible as a marriage manual, but we can read it for universal truths as we struggle toward a more just future. The Bible offers inspiration and warning on the subjects of love, marriage, family and community. It speaks eloquently of the crucial role of families in a fair society and the risks we incur to ourselves and our children should we cease trying to bind ourselves together in loving pairs. Gay men like to point to the story of passionate King David and his friend Jonathan, with whom he was "one spirit" and whom he "loved as he loved himself." Conservatives say this is a story about a platonic friendship, but it is also a story about two men who stand up for each other in turbulent times, through violent war and the disapproval of a powerful parent. David rends his clothes at Jonathan's death and, in grieving, writes a song:
I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
You were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
More wonderful than that of women.
Here, the Bible praises enduring love between men. What Jonathan and David did or did not do in privacy is perhaps best left to history and our own imaginations.
In addition to its praise of friendship and its condemnation of divorce, the Bible gives many examples of marriages that defy convention yet benefit the greater community. The Torah discouraged the ancient Hebrews from marrying outside the tribe, yet Moses himself is married to a foreigner, Zipporah. Queen Esther is married to a non-Jew and, according to legend, saves the Jewish people. Rabbi Arthur Waskow, of the Shalom Center in Philadelphia, believes that Judaism thrives through diversity and inclusion. "I don't think Judaism should or ought to want to leave any portion of the human population outside the religious process," he says. "We should not want to leave [homosexuals] outside the sacred tent." The marriage of Joseph and Mary is also unorthodox (to say the least), a case of an unconventional arrangement accepted by society for the common good. The boy needed two human parents, after all.
In the Christian story, the message of acceptance for all is codified. Jesus reaches out to everyone, especially those on the margins, and brings the whole Christian community into his embrace. The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author, cites the story of Jesus revealing himself to the woman at the well— no matter that she had five former husbands and a current boyfriend—as evidence of Christ's all-encompassing love. The great Bible scholar Walter Brueggemann, emeritus professor at Columbia Theological Seminary, quotes the apostle Paul when he looks for biblical support of gay marriage: "There is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ." The religious argument for gay marriage, he adds, "is not generally made with reference to particular texts, but with the general conviction that the Bible is bent toward inclusiveness."
The practice of inclusion, even in defiance of social convention, the reaching out to outcasts, the emphasis on togetherness and community over and against chaos, depravity, indifference—all these biblical values argue for gay marriage. If one is for racial equality and the common nature of humanity, then the values of stability, monogamy and family necessarily follow. Terry Davis is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Hartford, Conn., and has been presiding over "holy unions" since 1992. "I'm against promiscuity—love ought to be expressed in committed relationships, not through casual sex, and I think the church should recognize the validity of committed same-sex relationships," he says.
Still, very few Jewish or Christian denominations do officially endorse gay marriage, even in the states where it is legal. The practice varies by region, by church or synagogue, even by cleric. More progressive denominations—the United Church of Christ, for example—have agreed to support gay marriage. Other denominations and dioceses will do "holy union" or "blessing" ceremonies, but shy away from the word "marriage" because it is politically explosive. So the frustrating, semantic question remains: should gay people be married in the same, sacramental sense that straight people are? I would argue that they should. If we are all God's children, made in his likeness and image, then to deny access to any sacrament based on sexuality is exactly the same thing as denying it based on skin color—and no serious (or even semiserious) person would argue that. People get married "for their mutual joy," explains the Rev. Chloe Breyer, executive director of the Interfaith Center in New York, quoting the Episcopal marriage ceremony. That's what religious people do: care for each other in spite of difficulty, she adds. In marriage, couples grow closer to God: "Being with one another in community is how you love God. That's what marriage is about."
More basic than theology, though, is human need. We want, as Abraham did, to grow old surrounded by friends and family and to be buried at last peacefully among them. We want, as Jesus taught, to love one another for our own good—and, not to be too grandiose about it, for the good of the world. We want our children to grow up in stable homes. What happens in the bedroom, really, has nothing to do with any of this. My friend the priest James Martin says his favorite Scripture relating to the question of homosexuality is Psalm 139, a song that praises the beauty and imperfection in all of us and that glorifies God's knowledge of our most secret selves: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." And then he adds that in his heart he believes that if Jesus were alive today, he would reach out especially to the gays and lesbians among us, for "Jesus does not want people to be lonely and sad." Let the priest's prayer be our own.
- Mood:awake
Recently, newspapers, magazines, and the internet have been buzzing with articles about the declining economy and its effect on relationships. Apparently, while there are numerous reasons for marital strife, most therapists agree that the biggest cause of friction between spouses is money. In fact, according to numerous surveys, the majority of divorced partners cite financial problems as the primary reason for their split. This makes sense; after all, when things are going well, and a couple has enough money to cover all expenses and most discretionary purchases, relationships are easier to sustain. On the other hand, when money gets tighter, couples often have to make difficult decisions, putting their relationships to the test. Needless to say, the recent downturn in the economy has made these sorts of issues particularly relevant.
With winter coming on and Christmas on the horizon, money problems are looming large for many American families. This is especially true in Colorado Springs, where over 200 employees of Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family (FOTF) were recently fired. A non-profit, evangelical organization, FOTF describes its mission as "nurturing and defending families worldwide." In the pursuit of this goal, it produces radio programs, runs a "homosexual conversion" program, and heavily lobbies voters and politicians to pass laws in support of its agenda. In fact, FOTF does so many bulk mailings that it has its own zip code. Recently, Focus on the Family was in the news because of its aggressive support of California's Proposition, a ballot measure designed to change the California state constitution to de-legalize homosexual marriage. FOTF directly spent $539,000 to support the measure, and contributed a further $83,000 in "non-monetary support." Moreover, one of FOTF's board members, Elsa Prince, donated an additional $450,000 to the fight.
With a combined investment of more than a million dollars, no one can claim that FOTF was unwilling to go the distance in support of its beliefs. Thanks in large part to its efforts, the measure passed and California currently defines marriage as a legal bond that can only exist between a man and a woman. In the process, Prop 8 placed 18,000 same sex marriages in a legal limbo, as the courts attempt to decide if these bonds are still valid or if they are now legally annulled.
In light of their recent decision to lay off so many workers, it's worth asking how many of FOTF's 200 employees would still have jobs if Dr. Dobson had not put all of his organization's money behind attacking gay marriage. Moreover, in the coming weeks, as many of those 200 former workers find their own unions straining under the added stress of financial hardship, one can only hope that their bonds will find the strength that they need to endure. Regardless of the outcome for these families, it seems more than a little ironic that an organization that seeks to preserve the sanctity of marriage may have weakened the unions of so many of its own employees. Then again, after helping dissolve 18,000 marriages, what are a measly 200 more?
- Mood:enlightened
Last week, the aggressive tactics of Prop. 8 opponents -- street protests, boycotts of business -- made headlines. Now, it appears that backers of the ban on gay marriage are the ones making threats. With the decision by the Supreme Court of California to grant review of the several worthwhile challenges to Prop 8, the forces behind inequality have issued the ultimate threat to the sitting Justices: recall.
"Civil rights groups, churches and local governments have filed six lawsuits asking the court to declare the measure an illegal constitutional revision. Letters also have poured into the court pleading for urgent action, and anti-Proposition 8 rallies have attracted large crowds statewide."
"At the same time, opponents of gay marriage have warned that they will work to oust any justice who votes against Proposition 8, a threat particularly palpable in a year when voters in other states have booted six state high court justices after campaigns by special interest groups."
The California Supreme Court has previously taken up the question of whether initiated propositions are not amendments but "revisions" to the constitution -- and six times ruled against those attempting to stop the amendment from taking effect. In only two cases did the "revision" argument being made by Prop 8 opponents succeed. But should the sitting Justices be inclined to view the revocation of a fundamental right (marriage) from a suspect class (same-sex couples) as a "revision" to our constitution and therefore only possible by a 2/3rds vote of the legislature prior to a popular vote, the forces behind Prop 8 have issued the ultimate threat: recall.
The official Proposition 8 campaign has discouraged supporters from threatening a recall while the court is considering lawsuits to overturn the measure.
"We think the discussion of a recall at this point is premature and not helpful to the current situation," said Andrew Pugno, a lawyer for the campaign. "The court should have a chance to do the right thing."
But if the court voted to overturn Proposition 8, "no one would be able to stop" a recall, he said.
So they are discouraging their crazy supporters from talking about it, but "no one would be able to stop" it. Sounds like a recall threat to me. Hypocrits!
“It is unconscionable that the supporters of Proposition 8 would threaten to recall California’s Supreme Court justices who are simply doing their job in making sure all Californians are treated fairly and equally under the laws of our state,” said Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors. “Once again, the proponents of Prop 8 are resorting to scare tactics in their attempts to eliminate the rights of same-sex couples in
- Mood:
infuriated
- Mood: pleased
For the past six months, Mormons misled Californians about the effects of the Supreme Court ruling.
They told us we would lose the right to participate in our children's education. Lies.
They told us the California state public school curriculum would be modified to teach sex education to kindergartners. Lies.
They told us churches would lose the right to free speech. Lies.
If you would like to do something about this travesty, please visit the websites below...
Mormons Stole Our Rights
Revoke Mormon Church 501(c)(3) Status
- Mood:disgusted
My friend Keith came up with these logos and they are available on shirts, hats, mugs, etc. He has designed two options, one for our gay friends and another for our straight friends who want to show support…
Click on either logo to order from Cafe Press...
Gay Version
Straight Version
- Mood:determined
Last night we witnessed a pivotal point in history! The landslide election of Barack Obama to the Presidency of the United States will finally allow this country to heal from the deep wounds of our recent past. The rest of the world can now see that the American public has not been supportive of the actions of our government. In a bright and shining moment, history has changed for the better!
This is a bittersweet victory for me and many, many other people. We now live in the Grand Oppressive Theocracy of California! Proposition 8 appears to be passing and we will now write hate and discrimination into the California Constitution. The proponents of the measure used only the most noble of Christian values to further their cause - lies, deceit, extortion, blackmail, hate and intimidation. What is next? Public stonings? Crucifixions?
I am finally again proud to be an American, but I am completely and thoroughly embarrassed to be a Californian!
- Mood:
exhausted
- Homosexuality is not natural, much like eyeglasses, polyester, and birth control are not natural.
- Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children. Infertile couples and old people cannot get legally married because the world needs more children.
- Obviously gay parents will raise gay children because straight parents only raise straight children.
- Straight marriage will be less meaningful, since Britney Spears's 55-hour just-for-fun marriage was meaningful.
- Heterosexual marriage has been around for a long time, and it hasn't changed at all: women are property, Blacks can't marry Whites, and divorce is illegal.
- Gay marriage should be decided by the people, not the courts, because the majority-elected legislatures, not courts, have historically protected the rights of minorities.
- Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are always imposed on the entire country. That's why we only have one religion in America.
- Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people makes you tall.
- Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage license.
- Children can never succeed without both male and female role models at home. That's why single parents are forbidden to raise children.
- Gay marriage will change the foundation of society. Heterosexual marriage has been around for a long time, and we could never adapt to new social norms because we haven't adapted to cars or longer lifespans.
- Civil unions, providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name are better, because a "separate but equal" institution is always constitutional. Separate schools for African-Americans worked just as well as separate marriages will for gays & lesbians.
Think about it.
Take a stand.
Vote for equality.
- Mood:determined
With one of the most important elections of my lifetime thus far only a week away, I have been completely caught up in the maelstrom. The upcoming election will decide the fate of many dire issues dealing with our faltering economy, struggling healthcare system, foreign affairs, the environment and civil rights to name just a few. As urgent as all this is, I need to occasionally step back and refocus my personal perspectives. So, this past weekend I decided to stop and smell the roses for a bit and take an inventory of things happening in my world at this point in time and affect whatever changes are necessary.
While walking Gizmo on Saturday, he decided it was time to stop and roll in the shady, cool grass at the park near our home. Following his cue, I sat down to enjoy the beautiful weather and feel the breeze on my face. I even saw a ladybug crawling along on a blade of grass, something I would have surely missed just walking by. It is those simple wonders that are all too easily overlooked while mired in our daily routines. Gizmo had reminded me of the importance of slowing down and looking around even when life is at it's busiest.
I have several friends who have either already lost their jobs or have been notified of pending layoffs. This recession (and yes we are in a recession folks) is taking a terrible toll on businesses and everyday people alike. We are facing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression! It is not only a horrible economic problem for the United States, but for the entire world as well! This situation has brought to light just how interconnected our global economy has become. We are all in the same proverbial boat and calm waters are nowhere to be found. I sincerely hope that this will all take a turn for the better soon!
My cousin's first born son is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq and a friend's husband is home for awhile before returning to his post in Tikrit, Iraq. All those serving in the armed forces are someone's son, daughter, brother, sister, cousin, mom, dad, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, partner etc. and this conflict levies a substantial burden and sacrifice on their families who wait anxiously for a safe return home. Regardless of how you feel about why our country is in this war, it is paramount that we all support our troops who are faithfully carrying out their duties as assigned!
After my step-father passed away, my mother was given a finite period of time to continue her existing healthcare plan. As the deadline approached, she applied for an individual plan with her chosen provider. She was initially denied and then reapplied with the assistance of her doctor who wrote a letter explaining why he recommended that she be accepted. She was again denied! She has been a cancer survivor longer than I have without any indication of reoccurrence, but is denied healthcare that she is willing and able to pay for! What is wrong with this picture? Absolutely everything is wrong!! We live in the only industrialized country left in the world without universal healthcare for it's citizens! This ridiculous and ignorant whining about this being a too "socialist" idea for the United States has got to stop! She has since found a different healthcare provider that actually cares enough about people to accept her application.
It is almost 2009 and I still see people fighting for civil rights in the United States! Why do we not learn from history? The civil rights movement in the 50's and 60's should have taught the American public something about humanism, but alas, bigotry and hatred continue to thrive! People will always have differing opinions on a myriad of social subjects, but we must certainly agree that there should be common respect for all people independent of racial, gender, cultural, religious or sexuality biases. Everyone deserves the right to live their lives as they see fit with dignity and free of persecution of any type. The United States Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal" and that we have "certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". If people would simply apply their own principals of morality and systems of belief to themselves and refrain from imposing them on others, the world would be a much better place for all!
When Gizmo and I began walking home from the park, I noticed bits of trash scattered about as the result of high winds we recently experienced. I decided then and there to make a positive difference in my community by committing myself to pick up any garbage I find while out on walks from now on. I am only one person and my impact may be negligible in the big scheme of things, but I will make every effort I can to improve the environment. We are all stewards of this planet and we must care for it as it cares for us! We only have the resources that have always been here and when they are gone, they will be gone for good! I love the all too appropriate mantra, "Act locally, think globally"!
As you can see, this was a reflective and productive weekend for me! I hope you feel inspired to take similar inventories or at least remember to slow down a bit and not let the world just pass you by without even noticing. All the little things add up to big things – your life and your place in this world! Time marches on, like it or not, but you can make conscious decisions that will define you as a driver or as a passenger in life – the choice is yours…
And please remember to vote on November 4th!!
- Mood:Catalyzed
When you vote for U.S. President on November 4, vote YES on CA Prop 2. Please also encourage all your friends and family living in California to vote for Prop 2!
California Proposition 2, the Standards for Confining Farm Animals Act (pdf), will put a stop to some of the worst abuses in factory farming in the State of California. Prop 2 will ban the practice of confining veal calves, breeding pigs and laying hens in cages and crates so small that they cannot turn around, lie down, stand up or fully extend their limbs. This legislation champions the principle that all animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food.
Please vote YES! on Prop 2, which will appear along with the presidential ballot in California on November 4. Also, please spread the word about this landmark legislation to every California voter you know!
Because it will not go into effect until 2015, Prop 2 provides ample time for factory farmers using these severe confinement methods to transition to more humane practices. Similar laws have been passed in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Oregon and throughout the European Union's 27 member countries.
Prop 2 is supported by over 100 animal protection groups, nearly 700 California veterinarians, hundreds of California farmers and business owners, and elected officials on both sides of the aisle, including U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer. Please visit yesonprop2.com to view a complete list of supporters.
Join the broad coalition supporting Prop 2—and on November 4, remember to vote YES! on Prop 2. Thank you for your support and for spreading the word about this important initiative.
Help spread the word about California Prop 2!
Tell your California friends and family to support the Standards for Confining Farm Animals Act on November 4 by voting YES! on Prop 2.
- Mood:awake
With an historic presidential election on the horizon, so many important issues hang in the balance. Now is not the time to be complacent nor to hide behind the false protection of inaction.
Lately, I have heard things like:
"I am not going to vote because my vote won't make a difference."
Remember the Florida 'chad' fiasco in the 2004 election? That is a bright and shining example of just how important each and every vote can be!
"Why vote? Nothing ever changes!"
The lengthy political process can be quite discouraging at times. However, it doesn't take a political science degree to understand that if you do not vote, you are ensuring that nothing will ever change!
"I am not going to vote on that issue since it has nothing to do with me."
The dangers of this mode of thought can best be illustrated by Pastor Martin Niemöller's poem "First they came..." about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group;
- "First they came for the Socialists,
- and I did not speak out because I was not a Socialist."
- "Then they came for the Trade Unionists,
- and I did not speak out because I was not a Trade Unionist."
- "Then they came for the Jews,
- and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew."
- "Then they came for me,
- and there was no one left to speak out."
It is of the utmost importance that we speak out when we see injustice. Each of us is just one voice, but imagine the thunderous results if we were to ALL speak together.
It is equally important that we vote when given the opportunity to be heard. There are many people throughout the world who are never asked to participate in their own governments. Please honor all those who have fought to allow you the right to vote by registering and/or voting this November 4th.
It is time to stand up and be heard!
- Mood: hopeful
I cannot say it any better...
- Mood: chipper
Everyone by now has heard arguments both for and against Proposition 8. If passed, this initiative would eliminate the current right of same-sex couples to marry in California. I know that I email and blog a good amount of political info, but please humor me and ponder the following perspectives:
On May 15th, 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that statutes that limit marriage to a relationship between a man and a woman violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution. As a result of that historic decision championing fairness and equality for ALL Californians, marriage between individuals of the same sex have been valid and recognized in the state since June 16th. That very same day, pioneering activists Del Martin and her partner, Phyllis Lyon, who had been in a loving relationship for 52 years were finally married! On August 27th, Mrs. Del Martin passed away; leaving this world firm in the knowledge that she had been legally married to the woman she had shared her love and life with. Shouldn't Phyllis be allowed that very same comfort in the twilight of her life? That solace could be taken from her if Proposition 8 were to pass and write discrimination into the California Constitution. I am profoundly humbled by Del and Phyllis' tenacity, but I personally don't want to wait 52 years to get married!
A legal same-sex marriage will someday, hopefully, make it possible for American citizens in bi-national relationships to bring their partners into the United States to live just as is currently the case in heterosexual marriages. This aspect of the matters at hand is of the utmost importance to myself and Steve. I am a native born Californian and American, but I have no rights to help Steve attain U.S. residency based on my citizenship. As a matter of fact, if Steve were to be laid off or quit his job, he would have no more than 10 days to leave the country! In the present dismal economic climate, this greatly endangers our choice to remain in the United States. I am not opposed to living in England, but I want a decision such as that to be made by choice rather than forced upon us due to discriminatory governmental policies!
I would like to clarify a misnomer that I feel causes some of the opposition that we are facing. The terms "gay rights" or "same-sex marriage" appear to indicate that we want different or specific rights. This is untrue - what we want are the very same rights that are afforded all other American citizens and their respectful partners. In a word, what we want is "equality", nothing more and most definitely, nothing less.
When casting the myriad of votes on November 4th, I ask that you please vote "NO" on Proposition 8. I also ask that you please spread the word to your family and friends in California to help ensure that equality can be had by all…
Thank you,
Jeff
If you would like more information, please visit http://www.noonprop8.com/
- Mood:determined
Last night I watched a disturbing news segment reporting on the situation facing the Akuntsu tribe in Brazil. This tribe was only first contacted by the modern world in 1995. Today, there are only 6, yes SIX, members left of this tribe! They are the remnants of a once thriving civilization that developed it's own society, language and religion. They lived in harmony with their surroundings and revered the forest that sustained them.
The Akuntsu have been systematically massacred by ranchers who lay claim to their land and intend to plunder their resources. (Sadly, doesn't this sound hauntingly familiar my fellow Americans?) The tribe is now protected by the Brazilian government in a small rainforest preserve surrounded by ranches. This protection is way too little and, unfortunately, comes way too late.
None of the remaining Akuntsu can have children, making their continued survival a genetic impossibility and sealing their fate. No outsider has ever mastered the Akuntsu language, so consequently, their rich history will also die along with them. What we are witnessing here is nothing less than a real-time human extinction! Another wonderful example of human diversity will soon perish from the face of this planet.
There are many dark moments in our human history, but to actually watch one play out makes me absolutely sick to my stomach!
Following is the link to the news segment:
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?i
- Mood: angry
