piasharn | Entries tagged with politics

No, I'm not kidding. This is serious.

Really.

...

...to be perfectly honest, the only thing I can think of is, "Thank the gods I started drinking before I read that." (Don't look at me like that. I work the graveyard shift. I'm allowed to drink during the day.) Even still, I really, REALLY want to go beat the shit out of the people who pushed through this piece of shit legislation.

Y'know, Utah, first the Mormons* out there helped pass prop 8 out here in California (and, really, couldn't you keep your bigoted opinions in your own state?) and now this. Are you trying to make me hate you with the fire of a thousand suns? 'Cause I'm pretty damn close.

Damn it... I need more rum.

* I realize that not all Mormons were involved in passing prop 8. There were many who are vehemently against the Mormon church's stance towards LGBT people. And there are many who, while they are not pro-LGBT, don't feel the need to impose their beliefs on non-Mormon people. I have no qualms with you guys. It's the ones who think that EVERYONE needs to be forced, by law, to live according to their beliefs that make me want to punch something. Or someone.

Utah outlaws miscarriages.

No, I'm not kidding. This is serious.

Really.

...

Damn it... I need more rum.

Meet Baby, the dog that the Obama family recently adopted. If you think something looks a bit odd about Baby, you're not imagining things. Baby only has three legs. She lost one of her limbs after years of mistreatment in a puppy mill, where her former owners also had her vocal cords removed so that they didn't have to listen to her cries.

Thank you, Barack Obama, for adopting a shelter animal. Thank you for choosing one that most people would overlook. Too often, people go straight for the healthy puppies and kittens without giving the older animals a second thought, much less ones who were neglected and abused.

I hope that your actions encourage more people to adopt animals from the Humane Society and raise awareness about the horrible conditions of puppy mills.

Hat tip: Miss Poppy

ETA:

kutsuwamushi has brought it to my attention that Baby has not been adopted by the Obamas. The article I linked to doesn't actually state that they did adopt her. It appears that the photo above was taken to help promote "Baby's Bill", which is designed to close loopholes that allow puppy mill breeders to keep their animals in horrible conditions.

Sorry about that. That's what I get for not being as attentive towards my reading and research as I should be.

I hope that your actions encourage more people to adopt animals from the Humane Society and raise awareness about the horrible conditions of puppy mills.

Hat tip: Miss Poppy

ETA:

Sorry about that. That's what I get for not being as attentive towards my reading and research as I should be.

While I'm jubilant over Obama's victory, there were some sorrowful outcomes of this election.

California, Arizona, and Florida all had propositions on the ballot to ban same-sex marriage. Arkansas was voting on an initiative that would bar same-sex couples from adopting. All of them have appeared to pass.

There is still hope for California, though. There are still three to four million ballots that have not been counted. With the results so close (52% to 48%) these votes may be enough to tip the scales. It's a slim hope, I know, but there is still a chance that we can pull through.

For that matter, we don't know exactly what will happen to the same-sex marriages that occurred before this election. There's a chance that the people who are already married will remain married, even if no new same-sex marriages will be allowed.

There is also a chance that this may be overturned for legal reasons. We still have options. There are things we can do.

Also, remember that eight years ago, 61% of Californians voted against same-sex marriage. This time, only 52% have done so. Think about that for a minute. Add to that the fact that the younger generations are much more GLBT friendly, so as more young people come of age, we'll have the majority on our side.

This isn't over yet, people.

While I'm jubilant over Obama's victory, there were some sorrowful outcomes of this election.

There is also a chance that this may be overturned for legal reasons. We still have options. There are things we can do.

This isn't over yet, people.

OBAMA FTW!

We've just witnessed history being made, folks.

Now it's time to celebrate!

OBAMA FTW!

We've just witnessed history being made, folks.

Now it's time to celebrate!

For the love of all that is holy, get out and vote!

I know it's easy to say that one vote doesn't make a difference, and there is some truth to that statement. However, you can't have a crowd without the individual people, and you can't get the large numbers of votes without the single ballots.

Yes, voting matters. Yes, it makes a difference. Please, please, please go out there and cast your ballot.

On a related note, I called my parents as I was walking out of the polling location after voting. It turns out that they were also just walking out of their polling place as well. Even thought we're separated by three time zones and close to 3,000 miles (4800 kilometers), we ended up voting at exactly the same time. How's that for a strange coincidence?

For the love of all that is holy, get out and vote!

Yes, voting matters. Yes, it makes a difference. Please, please, please go out there and cast your ballot.

I was originally planning on making a non-political post, but then then I read this. It fuses political candidates and Dungeons & Dragons, and I couldn't stop laughing the entire time I was reading it.

I don't know about anyone else, but it sure cheered me up.

Hat tip: miss_padfoot at fandom_lounge.

I previously mentioned California's Prop 8 which, if it is passed in November, would ban same-sex marriage. Well, Arizona and Florida have similar measures on their ballots as well.

Florida International University will be having a debate on the subject in the near future. Apparently, they tried to get someone from the "Yes on 2" group to argue against same-sex marriage, but they declined the offer. Guess who FIU found instead?

None other than the Westboro Baptist Church. Yes, the one lead by the notorious Fred Phelps. The church behind the God Hates Fags website. The one that is absolutely obsessed with homosexuality and blames gays for every bad thing that happens in the world.

These are the people that are so batshit insane that even other anti-GLBT people and organizations steer clear for fear of being associated with them.

Part of me is wincing at FIU's decision, because these people really don't need (or deserve) more attention. They are unable to participate in an respectable debate, and they shouldn't be treated as a serious organization.

Part of me is happy, because the WBC members are so crazy that it might make Florida residents vote against the same-sex marriage ban after listening to them. People who are undecided on the issue may take one look and run as fast as they can to the the pro-GLBT side.

And part of me wants to kick back, grab a beer and some popcorn, and enjoy the show.

I haven't had my television hooked up since I moved to California 17 months ago. What with the election coming up, I'm rather glad that I'm not subjected to a painful amount of political ads. Watching the debates is bad enough at times.

Speaking of which, did anyone else have the urge to beat McCain senseless for repeatedly using the term "pro-abortion" in the last debate? I'm glad that Obama rightfully pointed out that no one is "pro-abortion". Of course, that didn't stop McCain from tossing out the term a few more times.

Still, politics makes me want to bang my head repeatedly against a hard surface. The spin, the slander, the mud slinging, the half-truths, and the outright lies all make me want to scream very, very loudly.

The state of California has several propositions on the ballot this November. As you may have guessed, I am highly against Prop 8, which would amend the state constitution to make marriage the union of a man and a woman only. The same-sex marriages that have occurred since the Supreme Court's ruling back in May would be nullified.

The people in favor of this have been driving me insane. I don't know if they're ignorant or liars or both, but their main arguments are a load of bullshit.

( Don't mind me; I simply need to vent. )

I've been told that the Supreme Court's decision is nothing more than judicial activism that overturns the will of the people. It's funny how people seem to forget the purpose of the judicial branch in cases like this. Besides, it's not like this is the first time this has happened.

And don't get me started on Prop 4, which would require parental notification for underage girls seeking abortions. Actually, there's an excellent article on the subject over at Alas, A Blog, complete with a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style senario of what an underage girl would be subjected to if the law passes.

ETA: Colin Powell endorses Obama. Wohoo!

If that wasn't cool enough, he pointed out that even if Obama was a Muslim, it should make no difference.

THANK YOU!

Some things never change. A recent article by Orson Scott Card claims that the government does not have the right to redefine marriage. He also believes that the decisions in MA and CA to legalize same-sex marriage represent "the end of democracy in America."

I wonder, if Proposition 8 (which would amend the CA state constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman) is voted down in November by the people, will he still be making that claim?

These judges are making new law without any democratic process; in fact, their decisions are striking down laws enacted by majority vote.

Yes, CA did vote against same-sex marriage eight years ago. However, there are a couple of points that need to be made. The first is that the attitudes of the people can and do change. Just because the people voted one way in the past does not mean that they would do so now.

( Since this entry turned out to be longer than I had planned, the rest is behind the cut. )

To sum things up for those who don't feel like reading the article or my rant on it, Card's beliefs seem to be as follows:

MARRIGE = 1 MAN + 1 WOMAN ADN THATZ TEH ONLY DEFINISHUN TAHT HAZ EVUR EXISTD!! TEH GOVRERMET CANT CHANGE IT!!! IF IT DUZ THEN THEY WILL ABDUCT UR KIDZ AND TEACH TEHM THAT ITZ OK 2 B GHAY!!!1! OH NOES!!!1one!!

All right, so he didn't actually write it in lolspeak. A pity, it might have made more sense if he had.

ETA: Didn't come across this response to Card's article until after I had written mine. This one's better written and brings up some interesting points that I missed.

I actually saw a couple of movies in the theater recently, which I rarely do. I was originally planning on writing up some commentary on Wall-E, mostly as a response to various comments being made on how it promotes Agenda X or is propaganda for certain points of view. It wasn't my intention to write anything about The Dark Knight since I haven't seen as many people freaking out over what it really means. Besides, I'd just end up repeating what a lot of people have written: lots of action, and Heath Ledger was absolutely amazing as the Joker.

Side Note: The trailer for the Watchmen movie... Eeeee! The trailer really looks amazing, and I hope that the movie lives up to it. There's a lot that goes on in that series, so I'm curious as to how they'll trim it down to fit into a movie. If they do it right, it will be fantastic. And I hope that the squid is in.

So, not too much to say. Then I found this.

To sum up the article, the author believes that George W. Bush is like Batman.

A cry for help goes out from a city beleaguered by violence and fear: A beam of light flashed into the night sky, the dark symbol of a bat projected onto the surface of the racing clouds . . .

Oh, wait a minute. That's not a bat, actually. In fact, when you trace the outline with your finger, it looks kind of like . . . a "W."

Seriously. No joke. Not a satire piece. He honestly thinks that this movie "...is at some level a paean of praise to the fortitude and moral courage that has been shown by George W. Bush in this time of terror and war."

It gets better.

Like W, Batman is vilified and despised for confronting terrorists in the only terms they understand. Like W, Batman sometimes has to push the boundaries of civil rights to deal with an emergency, certain that he will re-establish those boundaries when the emergency is past.

Like W, Batman puts himself in the line of fire every day and takes bullets and beatings and dog bits himself rather than sitting in an office somewhere while he sends others to be injured and killed.

Like W, Batman values the lives of soldiers, officers, and innocent bystanders and does his best to prevent (or at least limit) the number of casualties.

Like W, Batman... oh, I give up. Make your own joke.

"The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything."

--Stalin

Just some food for thought for the coming week.

I don't know about you, but what I've been hearing about the new electronic voting system has me rather nervous.

Interesting. It seems that George W. Bush has quietly sent daughter Jenna to Paraguay to purchase a rather large chunk of land near the town of Chaco. He seems to like his ranch in Texas a lot, so why would he want to live anywhere else?

Does this have anything to do with the fact that he would have "immunity from national and International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction" in Paraguay?

It really makes you wonder what that man is up to now, and what exactly all of this means.

There's a very interesting article on abortion that's been making the blog rounds. (At least the ones I read.) If you haven't read the AlterNet story Reflections from a Former Anti-Abotrion Activist, I'd recommend taking a look. It's the story of a woman who started out her beliefs as Pro-Life, because that's how her fundamentalist Christian family raised her. She believed that life began and conception, and, since abortion ended that life, it was wrong. She rallied others. She protested at clinics.

Then she went to college. She took classes, talked to people, and met women who had actually had abortions. She learned that the issue was not nearly as black-and-white as she had been lead to believe. She learned that numerous issues actually affected abortion for women. She eventually abandoned her Pro-Life stance.

The article is something that people on both sides of the debate ought to read. For the Pro-Lifers, it comes from someone they can relate to, someone who still believes that abortion is wrong. How a woman could come to make the choice to have an abortion. (It also shows just how self-righteous and pompous the Pro-Lifers can be. Something that has always irritated me when attempting to debate with them.)

For the Pro-Choicers, it shows how some of the methods of our side can alienate those people like the author - people who don't think that abortion is right, but are willing to allow the option to be available for others. It shows how we've let the Pro-Lifers get the upper hand in many ways. How we have become reactive rather than proactive.

She also points out something that I had never really thought about: that referring to the opposition as "Pro-Life" gave them an advantage right off the bat. As she states, "After all, who isn't for life?" And she's right. (My dad doesn't call them "Pro-Life", he calls them "Pro-Fetus". His opinion, which I cannot fault, is that these people only care about the fetus. When it is born, they no longer give a damn. It could spend 18 years floating around the adoption system, not have access to health insurance or decent education, but the people who fight so vehemently for that fetus to be born do not put any of that energy into making sure it has a decent life.) So perhaps I'll stop calling them "Pro-Life" and switch over to "Anti-Choice". Although the latter term, while accurate, immediately puts people on the defensive and thus less likely to be sympathetic to anything I say. So who knows?

She also emphasizes something that I have been stating for a while now: the root of the problem is not the legality of abortion. The root problem is unwanted pregnancies. If we prevent these - through affordable and available birth-control, good sex-education, availability of health care for everyone, etcetera - we can reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies that occur. If a woman does find herself with an unwanted pregnancy, she has no need to get an abortion.

Sadly, for a lot of people, the issue is control over women, not reducing abortions. Not all of them, mind you, but it's depressing how many of them ignore the ways and means to actually stop abortions from happening, and instead focus all of their energy on trying to make it illegal, which has never been an effective method. (This is true of Pro-Choicers too.) There's a very viable middle-ground that can be reached if we're willing to make the journey.

Avast, mateys! Anyone from Iowa? Don't know who you're going to vote for this November? James Hill, an Independent and self-proclaimed pirate, is running for Congress. You might want to check him out.

Man, why don't we get candidates like that here in Michigan? Or someone like Kinky Friedman who is running for Governor of Texas. How can you not like a guy whose campaign slogan is "Get Kinky"?

These are exactly the kind of people we need in office!

So. Apparently Mark Foley isn't a pedophile. He's just gay. According to Newt Gingrich, the only reason that they Republican party didn't do anything about him when they found out about his lewd emails to 15 year-old boys was because they were afraid of being accused of gay-bashing.

Sure.

This coming from the party that has referred to homosexuals as "selfish hedonists" and routinely promotes anti-GLBT legislature? Whatever. The GLBT community certainly isn't buying it.

"Given the fact that the current Republican leadership in the House has never hesitated to attack gay people, it's even more absurd for people like Newt Gingrich to say the reason they didn't take prompt action was because they didn't want to be accused of 'gay bashing.' Cut me a break."

–-Matt Foreman (executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force)

I think Jon Stewart said it best on the The Daily Show earlier this week:

"By the way, equating a 52 year-old Congressman who goes after 15 year-old boys with gays may be one reason the GOP is accused of gay bashing."

(TDS is the only news program I bother to watch anymore. Not only is it more entertaining, but Jon Stewart poses tougher questions to his guests. Also, it is apparently just as substantial as regular news broadcasts.)

But the fun doesn't stop there! Oh, no... See, according to Bill O'Reilly, Foley is really a Democrat! He must be, after all, isn't the Republican party the party of morality, godliness, and family values? And a good, moral, Republican would never send erotic messages to underage boys!

It's a pity that the Democrats don't know how to take advantage of situations like this, especially right before the congressional elections. If they played their cards right, they could take control of both the House and the Senate. (And, ideally, start the process of impeaching both Cheney and Bush. A girl can dream, can't she?) I swear, though, they only thing they seem to be good at anymore is shooting themselves in the foot.

I'm suddenly reminded why politics make me sick.

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An Altered State of Consciousness

Don't worry, it's just a ride...

Entries tagged with politics

Aw, fuck...

Aw, fuck...

A Good Start

A Good Start

Election Results

Election Results

squee

squee

To the US citizens who are 18 or older:

To the US citizens who are 18 or older:

"Yeah, well, you pal around with dark elves."

Not a Joke

Thinking about politics is bad for my blood pressure.

Orson Scott Card makes an ass of himself. Again.

It's the Bat Signal! No, wait, it's the...

Happy Guy Fawkes Night

Conspiracy theorists, start your engines...

From Pro-Life to Pro-Choice

...and a bottle of rum

Hypocrisy, Pedophilia, and Politics