Gay and Marriage

The state legislature of Hawaii passed a bill to allow Gay couples to marry and it was quickly vetoed by Gov Linda Lingle (R). Currently there are 6 Gay couples suing for what they consider are violations to their Civil Rights in Hawaii. When Gov Lingle vetoed this bill she said it wasn't right that a hand full of individuals make a decision of this magnitude and it should be put before the voters of Hawaii, thus her veto. The legislature is a group of elected officials who make critical decisions for their constituents and I stress again, "a group." Yet Gov Lingle made a solo decision in regard to this bill. It comes as no surprise to me that there is an (R) beside Lingle's name and it is quickly becoming a representation of oppression, racism, and a close minded bully mentality.

As a member of the GLBT community I have seen many changes in my lifetime and we have actually progressed further than I would have ever allowed myself to dream of. It has been a struggle, but we are here and refuse to ever be shoved back into our closets. Here in the state of Texas I know our Conservative leaders would like to have anyone who is Gay/Lesbian criminalized, and feel we have no value and are in fact deviants in their minds, and they certainly don't see us as contributors to our communities. So I ask this question, since we aren't going anywhere or changing who we are, what do they want to do with us?

I have a friend who is a Lesbian, in a long term relationship, yet her partner will not openly admit to the straight community who she is. This is infuriating to me because of the struggle we have all had to endure. My mother lived openly in a same sex relationship for 42 years, and early on fought the battle, and persevered with pride, laying the first corner stones for Gay and Lesbian people today. We have all paid the price to a degree in order to live openly and be who God made us to be.

It has been my message for many years, we are here, we are not going anywhere, especially back into our closets. We have rights, regardless of personal or religious views about us and we are going to continue to fight for our rights as couples, and yes we will marry, regardless of if we have a piece of legal paper. Marriage is a commitment between two people in their hearts and in their souls.

It's Ilegal Immigration Again

Today US Federal Judge Susan Bolton blocked part of the Arizona Bill targeting illegal immigration. Of course Arizona Gov Jan Brewer(R) said Judge Bolton's ruling would be appealed and Republican leaders of the state also said if this goes to the US Supreme court then they will rule on the Bill's behalf probably by a 5-4 standing.

The absolute point of this Bill is legalized racial discrimination designed and written to target the Hispanic community. As I have said numerous times, I do understand that there is an issue with Illegal Immigration, however, I also understand that racist prone people are looking for an excuse to target others they feel superior to. Yes, the issue needs to be addressed, Mexico needs to be held accountable, our borders need to be more secure, and we need to understand why there is a demand for these workers.

The greater question at this point in time is why does Arizona feel such a desire to finally do something about Illegal Immigration? It's not like this is a new issue, there have been Mexicans who have crossed the border without papers for as long as I can remember, and matter of fact is, they've worked. Yes, in our factories, in our restaurants, doing our yards, taking care of our children, and also matter of fact doing jobs which are the lowest paying and also in fact doing the jobs most of us Americans don't want to do.

This law has discrimination written all over it no matter what words the Republican's are using to justify it. If this Bill is allowed to go forward then the door is open for all types of repercussions and will only further fuel the seeds of hatred.

Behind the videos with Breitbart

Some of you may now know Andrew Breitbart is the person behind the video of Shirley Sharrod which depicted her as a racist through specific editing. I saw a news clip where he is still trying to promote the NAACP as a racist organization. It seems he has a personal agenda to drive a wedge between the races here in our country and what is sad there is a huge audience hungry for such a distortion of facts.

This is also the man who smeared the political group ACORN and caused them to have to shut their doors. Remember the video's of the supposed (employed by Breitbart) pimps with their prostitutes who went into ACORN offices? Well the way those video's were edited it made people furious that ACORN employees would give off the wall advice to the pimps. See the video's in their entire form and you will see how they were edited because the ACORN employees did nothing wrong.

Actions such as this make me believe Republicans, Tea Party members, and FOX news viewers are desperate and will go to any means to drive a wedge into our country.

Idea's

I have been thinking about this for a long time so I have decided to write about it. The Bush tax cuts for the very wealthy are about to expire. Okay, the Republican argument right now is we cannot afford to let them expire and in fact extend them, because to not do so will be a deterrent for small business owners to create jobs. Duh, these tax cuts have been in effect during a time of huge job losses already so isn't this kind of a contradiction? Of course it is and the logic behind their argument just doesn't make any common sense. Then again part of the original argument was it would create a trickle down effect which we would all benefit from. Well I am still waiting for my little trickle aren't you?

Another Republican argument right now is the effect of the Health Care Bill on small business owners, that it is also a deterrent of creating new jobs. Good Lord, but I see these leaders as obstructionist for any type of progress. Oh and they have brain washed their followers into believing this Health Care Bill is just another step of the Obama administration leading our nation towards Socialism. Hmmm, well taking care of our people is Socialism? And it's wrong? What a selfish stance in my opinion, but I think the under lying issue isn't really about the Health Care Bill, or Socialism, but about any progress our first African American president can push forward. The fact of President Obama's election is a thorn in these feeble minds and they can't find any reconciliation in their hearts.

Personally I will be glad to see these huge tax breaks expire because we are in a crisis as a nation and so what if the very wealthiest among us has to pay more. Is that a price greater than they are willing to sacrifice in order for us to move forward? I hope not, because at times we all have to give a little more. One of my conservative friends told me the rich should not be penalized because they are rich, well I have a feeling her thoughts would change if she ever were to see her children going hungry or having to bed down beside a river. In this environment we just may see that happen.

Shirley Sharrod

First thing this morning when I turned on the news I saw a portion of a video showing Shirley Sharrod who worked for the USDA. It was a edited video to make her look like a racist against white people, and I must say my first reaction was anger. I had to see the video in it's entirety several times, breathe, and think about her words before I realized what her message was, not racism, not about black or white, but about the haves and the have nots, and reconciliation. The people who edited this video and placed it out on the Internet, did so to fuel racial tensions in our country.

I went out on the Internet to freerepublic.com and read what it had to say and the comments of the people who frequent that site. This site obviously caters to a dangerous fringe of our society and we should all beware, especially when they read and see such distortions of facts, they are being fed exactly what they are seeking even if it is false.

The NAACP passed a resolution condemning the actions of some of the Tea Party members, remember the signs of Obama with a painted face, or depicting him as Hitler and even comparing him to a monkey? These were not random depictions, because I saw myself on news broadcasts these people acting out in this inexcusable manner. Are members of the Tea Party now trying to justify their racist behavior by vilifying Sharrod and trying to depict her as a racist against white people? Absolutely, because of the NAACP resolution.

In this day and time with huge issues facing our country we don't need race to be used as an issue in this manner. We cannot allow a dangerous fringe group to dictate to the rest of us their hatred and not allow them to pull the scab of healing off of our history. As a white man, I choose to live in a society where we may not like each other, but our dislikes will not be because of the color of one's skin, it will be because of philosophical differences, yet always with respect in regard to differences.

Imagine

Unfortunately we live in a time where we can't imagine a world without war, poverty, disease, or many other issues which impact us all. It seems to me it would be the driving force of all of us to strive for a better world, at least for our future generations. Wouldn't it be nice if our children had to read history in order to have an understanding of what it was like for nations to fight each other? As long as people put undebatable emphasis on religion, nationality, or even political affiliation then this is an impossible dream. I read other blogs by anarchists who would love to see our union dissolved because a specific party has the majority of the power or final decision making. In reality I don't know if that is the real reason behind their mindsets of anarchism or if there is something else which has been programmed by society and some how and fuels their hostilities.

Each of us believe we are right about our personal views, thus ensuring debate when we meet someone who believes differently. Take the issue of Gay Marriage for example, one of my straight or heterosexual friends told me she would support Civil Unions but not marriage for gay people. She is a fellow Liberal Democrat, but she has ingrained religious ideology which prevents her from thinking outside of what she was taught and I guess it is progress for her to even support Civil Unions. This topic also brought up the question of choice, and she believes Gay people do choose this lifestyle and you know remarks such as this get old to someone who lives the Gay life and is true to who they are. These people read the Bible, point to specific scriptures, without even questioning when it was written or why it was written, or if it is simply wrong.

In some countries around the world women are still treated in the same manner as they have for been for thousands of years, without value and even subject to death if they go against ancient religious tradition. Homosexuals can be hanged if they are found out, and children are basically the property of their fathers. Here in the United States we have religious freedom, yet because of these freedoms some people feel like laws can be passed to justify discrimination. We have political leaders who use the Bible in their campaigns to reach a segment of the population and in doing so incite hatred, where obvious lines are drawn between what they believe is right and what they think is wrong.

I personally believe we are on the threshold of something else which will impact history, possibly even the fall of the United States. I believe this because our differences are too great fundamentally and politically. I wish I could as the John Lennon song goes, "Imagine".

Failing as a Nation or Hope

As a Liberal, I remember when George W. Bush was president and I thought we would never get him out of office. Now I am seeing the same type of attitude coming from the left about President Obama. I like to think we Liberals had a right to feel the way we did about Bush because he certainly did not support our agenda and because of all the questionable things which occurred under his administration, remember the Iraq War? No bid contracts, illegal wire tapping, torture, Rove's ousting of a CIA operative, and the list goes on and on and on. So how can these Conservatives have such a dislike towards Obama? Oh how people forget, but yet these same people never complained about Bush or questioned any of his actions, oh and some even used the excuse, he is keeping us safe from terrorists. These same people against President Obama are spouting crap about how our deficit is exploding, well I have a news flash for these people, the deficit was already exploding prior to Obama, because the war in Iraq wasn't free or cheap. Yes our deficit is going through the ceiling, but what could Obama do about his inherited mess? Our economy was on the verge of imploding and we would have seen a Depression which would have made the Great Depression look like a party, so complain all you want because it was all of our asses which were on the line at the time of the Wall Street Bailout.

Many of these Anti President Obama people would like nothing better than for him to fail, and to do so would mean we fail as a nation. Even as bad as my dislike for the former President Bush, I wanted us to succeed as a nation because I am aware of what the repercussions would have been, disastrous. If we fail as a nation, then we fail as a people who will all suffer the consequences without recognition of political titles, Liberal or Conservative. We have to find a balance where we can move forward with progress where our liberties are not at risk.

When I hear the comments coming from the left or read some of their posts, it makes me aware of how wide the rift is and how full of racism many of them are, especially when they proudly wave those Confederate flags, and we all know what it represents.

They also became inflamed with the first major piece of legislation which the Obama administration managed to push through, Health care. Even when many of these people will benefit from reformed Health care, they screamed we are losing our liberties and moving towards Socialism. Talk about shooting ones self in the foot, and it makes me question their intelligence.

Today we have issues which should not be political, yet they are. We are dealing with an Oil spill in the Gulf impacting all of our Southern states. Rampant unemployment leaving people behind in this global economy. Yet we still have "Hope", and this is what I am going to embrace.

Hope

There is nothing wrong with being successful, just don't forget your history or where you come from. I have achieved a certain degree of success myself during my lifetime, oh I'm not rich by any means, but I have came a long long long way from where I started. The neighborhood where I grew up is rampant with poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism, and very few dreams. Every time I go home I make a point to drive through the old neighbor hood and honestly feel very grateful for who I am today, especially when I see the hollow eyed glances from the people who still live there, I see a sort of curiosity on their faces, and maybe a glimpse or two of recognition. My heart is always heavy as I drive away, kind of as if I in some way am taking the burdens there with me. Oh how I wish I could or at least leave some kind of hope behind me.

Some people believe we all choose our destiny and I am not really sure about that. They form judgements believing people are complacent to live in poverty and enjoy all the perks of being poor, welfare checks to buy drugs and alcohol, free places to live, free medical care, and in their minds the list of freebe's go on and on. Maybe our society has created a segment of underclass, especially when schools in these poor area's don't get the funding needed to feed young minds, or give hope to these children. If only people could have the same fervor in saving and supporting children who are born as much as they do the unborn. There is neighborhood after neighborhood in our country where children are living in desparation and continuing the cycle of poverty without dreams of a better life, only just surviving.

Maybe some people are content with such lives and if so then why? I can't believe anyone would choose to worry every month if they are going to have enough to eat, that is a ludicous assumption. Maybe they don't know how to lift themselves up or have a strong enough mindset, not all of us are intilectually equal. Could be the lack of equal education.

I'm not making excuses for people's bad behavior or addictions, however I refuse to judge them, or maybe I have an understanding because I have been where they are, poor, drug addicted, confused, and without dreams. I am one of the lucky ones!

Texas Board of Education Changing History

Leaders on the Texas Board of Education are changing history as it has been written and taught. We are all descendants of history, and to have it re-written and re-taught angers and saddens me. I have included a few of the changes further down in this post beginning with Martin Luther King. MLK is a huge part of history and I'm one who remembers the news showing firehoses being used on people considered second class citizens. People who were descriminated against because of the color of their skin. No one should be suprised about the "whiteness" or "straightness" of the leaders of the board who are making these changes. People who have no idea what it would have been like to be forced to ride in the back of the bus, much less having a cross burned on their lawn, or a relative hanged because he whistled at a white woman. Regardless of these "leaders" views, these events were real, and we cannot forget such acts or how our history is steeped in the blood of these people.

These "leaders" want our children to learn about people such as Phyllis Schlafly. How many of you know about this lady? Well she coined the phrase "a woman's place is in the kitchen" and she faught adamently against any law for marital rape. Oh yeah, this is the message we should send to our young women of today, stay in the kitchen and never deny your husband sex.

They also want to infuse the doctrine of the NRA into our children's minds, like the majority of the backwoods people of Texas don't already put a gun into the hands of their boy children when they first start walking.

How do these changes make us look to the rest of the nation and to the world for that matter? It makes us look exactly like what these school board leaders are, "close minded". Unfortunately it lumps the rest of us who live here with them, we just have to let the rest of the country and world know we all do not agree with such thought.

The majority of the Texas Board of Education are white Conservatist. There is nothing wrong with being a Conservative or supporter of that philosophy, just as there is nothing wrong with being a Liberal. The danger comes when you want to insist on your idea's and personal beliefs being taught exclusively rather than with a balance, thus allowing young mind's being able to think and form an individual opinion. To teach so exclusively tend's to be a process of brain washing and in the long run be detrimental to our society.



Below are some of the changes:

A ban on teaching anything about the holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Grade One. Instead, teachers must instruct children about Veterans Day.

A ban on the teaching of a unit about Harriet Tubman. It was replaced with one on Clara Barton.

The removal of specific units about the struggle for civil rights by women and minorities, with one TBE member noting that women and minorities owed thanks to men from the majority (e.g., white men) for their rights. The board was forced at another meeting to back down in part from this decision.

Required teaching of the McCarthy era as a part of the “fight against the communist infiltration of the U.S. government” in the 1950s and 1960s. One TBE member insisted that the curriculum specifically teach that Joseph McCarthy’s actions had been “vindicated” by current political events.

Slavery now referred to as Atlantic Triangular Trade.

Removal of wriitings by Martin Luther King while in the Birmingham jail during the Civil Right's Movement.

Jefferson Davis's inaugural address as president of the Confederacy will now be studied alongside Abraham Lincoln's speeches.

Japanese-American internment is now juxtaposed with "the regulation of some foreign nationals," ignoring the fact that while a few Germans and Italians were imprisoned as enemy aliens, the vast majority of people of Japanese ancestry who were interned were US citizens.

Religious Ingraining

I am fortunate to have many friends so I know many different mind sets, people of different back grounds and up bringing. For me the religious foundation which was ingrained in me was Assembly of God, Southside Assmebly of God to be exact on 13th and I streets in Brownwood, Texas. It was a small church with huge beliefs and my last years there it was ministered to by a fiery preacher who we referred to as Brother Mallone. His sweaty sermons were "anti" Catholic, Church of Christ, Jehovah Witness, and certainly "anti" homosexual. What I remember are all the "amens" he would encourage from his meager congregation, all encouraging him to become more red in the face during his ranting and sometimes he would run around the church with excitement, surely scaring any hapless visitor to our church. I know it often scared me and caused many sleepless nights where I would lay in bed wondering if Jesus was coming back and would I be left behind to face the "Annie" Christ, notice the spelling.

As a child I wasn't allowed to visit other churches, and my only knowledge about them was what I learned at Southside, yet I met children at school who attended these other churches and I remember thinking, "Y'all are going to hell" or "When Jesus comes back y'all are going to have to face the Annie Christ and God help y'all". It's sad, but people still believe if someone isn't of their faith then they are missing heaven's boat.

Now as an adult I realize we all do have differences, most ingrained or conditioned in our minds from children and I have learned how to think outside of all the expected thoughts and think maybe there is something else or what I was taught is wrong. I did walk away from all this with some good traits, such as personal ethics, an empathy towards anyone who is different or persecuted and certainly towards the poor.

I personally compare organized religion to racism, it is something which is taught, and in the teaching we ingrain a rightness in little minds who grow up to be adult minds. We all do have the right to worship, believe devoutly anything we want, however think about teaching the absolute and it's dangers.

Drug Testing Welfare Recipients

On many social networking sites you have the option to click on and support or like topics such as "Drug Testing Welfare Recipients". Out of curiosity I wanted to see how many of my friends support this and guess what? Many of my friends support this and guess what else? All are Conservatives. I must say I really wasn't surprised, these people are on the bandwagon to run all the illegal immigrants out of our country, believe there is no separation of church and state, against gun control, and believe women should not have a say in their reproductive system if it involves abortion.

Right now I don't personally know anyone who is on "welfare" but I know a lot of people who use drugs of some type, many should feel lucky their jobs aren't doing random drug testing. Where does this mindset come from where these Conservative people associate drug use with "welfare"? They automatically assume most on "welfare" are black, poor, and crack addicts. I guess it hasn't crossed their feeble minds, but say, Plano, Texas is seeing more and more white people who had blue collar jobs visiting soup kitchens because they have lost their JOBS. In some places the recipient lines stretch around the block.

These same people calling for or supporting "Drug Testing Welfare Recipients" also tout how the government has gotten too big, so don't they realize how instituting this would create another government bureaucracy? Or how else could something of this magnitude be done?

I believe there are issues with "welfare" where there has been generational ingraining of people in this system and it is a flaw in our society where we have not invested in these communities. We would rather invest in prisons than putting dollars into the educational systems where these people come from as children. So I would say our "Prison System" is another form of "Welfare" because housing, food, medical care, etc, is being continued at tax payer expense, yet people don't seem to have an issue with this.

Today we live in a time with a volatile job market which could impact each and every one of us. Be careful because Ivory Towers are fragile and could come crumbling down and you could find yourself, hungry, homeless, jobless and would welcome that "welfare" check!