Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
President Obama Supports Marriage Equality
In an interview with ABC today, President Barack Obama became the first president of the United States to publicly declare his support for marriage rights for all citizens. It only took 44 presidents to get to the true spirit of the constitution.
 |
| Hope and change? We're still waiting. |
But, what took you so long?
I'll be watching for support of equality for all citizens - not just straight citizens with penises - in the coming months. Preferably before, not after, key votes where the monstrous majority can wield its destructive power to strip away human rights from their fellow citizens.
By the way, how is it that constitutionally guaranteed rights are permitted to be stripped from people via a simple majority vote at all? Did I miss the memo? Has our democratic republic been reduced to a simple democracy whereby a tyranny of the majority is now underway? How did this happen?
MSNBC link, Chicago Sun Times article, San Francisco Chronicle article,
Isn't That Just Ducky
Soft Ducky, warm Ducky, little ball of fur...
Happy Ducky, sleepy Ducky, Rrrr, Rrr, Rrr.
(a little comfort from Ducky on a miserable post-primary morning)
Isn't that just Ducky!
there are no gods (2/3)
A respite from the horrors of yesterday's primary results. Sit back and watch part 2 of "there are no gods".
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
North Carolina Enshrines Bigotry Into Its Constitution
 |
| Bigots of North Carolina, take a good look, this is for you (someday, it will happen!) |
It looks like the religious overlords have been victorious in North Carolina. Early poll returns are pointing toward around 59% of North Carolinians in favor of a draconian and unnecessary constitutional amendment that will ban any and all domestic unions in the state unless they are traditional marriages between one man and one woman.
The amendment was redundant in one way because gay marriage is currently illegal in the state already, but this amendment will make it
Another consequence of this amendment will be that now only married women will receive protections from domestic abuse under the law. Women in civil unions and their children will no longer be protected by state laws governing domestic violence and abuse, child support and so forth.
Of course, the real targets were LGBT people, but as always with the Christian right, if they can take down a few women as collateral damage while hitting their main targets with a kill shot, so much the better in their view. Keep the gays and the women down where they belong.
This sickening bigotry is entirely based on religious ideology. It is unconstitutional and it is illegal. It is also unAmerican. It is tyranny of the majority.
Religious power in this country has reached a tipping point. It is obscenely, unconstitutionally abusive. When a few religious tzars dictate the law of the land, the country has bowed to authoritarian, theological fascism. Will the moderate, progressive spirit ever recover in the United States?
As a gesture of defiance and hope, I raise my fist in solidarity with the 40%+ of horrified progressives in North Carolina.
 |
| I'm looking at you, North Carolina |
North Carolina Votes Today
New York Times story. Daily Beast article.
There is not too much that I could write that hasn't already been written about the vote today in North Carolina. Def Shepherd (link to the right) has written eloquently, passionately and sometimes angrily on this topic over the past couple of months, finishing up yesterday with this 11th hour thoughtful post yesterday. If the ballot initiative banning any unions other than one between one man and one woman is approved tonight, then North Carolina will have banned not only gay marriage but also many other forms of domestic unions and civil unions. The draconian measure would change marriage rights for current partnerships as well as prevent any future legal partnerships if they do not meet the narrow, religious standard set by the initiative's proponents.
 |
| Let's call this vote what it really is: a push by religion to dehumanize some people. |
Why do these Christian zealots hate America so much?
It is time for people to speak out. It is time for people of good conscience in this country to stand up to the tyranny of the religious majority and declare that in a democratic republic, the rights and freedoms of all people are to be respected.
No, freedom of religion does NOT mean that any religion can force other people to live by its ideology. Religious freedom means the adherents of that religion are free to obey their religion's ideology, not that they can enshrine their religion into law in order to take away the freedom of others.
The opinion polls leading up to the NC primary were not encouraging. But hopefully, there has been more movement in the direction of love and decency than those polls have indicated. Tonight, we will see.
Please view the video below. I warn you - it is heartbreaking.
Please share it as far and wide as you can.
RIP Maurice Sendak
The New York Times reports that Maurice Sendak, legendary author of children's stories including Where the Wild Things Are, died this morning at the age of 83.
The insight that Sendak expressed in his work was fresh and revolutionary:
“Grown-ups desperately need to feel safe, and then they project onto the kids. But what none of us seem to realize is how smart kids are." Maurice Sendak
I think the genre of Children's Literature was vastly enriched by Maurice Sendak, but I could not say this any better than his friend and editor, Ursula Nordstrom:
“You may not be Tolstoy,” Ms. Nordstrom once wrote to Mr. Sendak after he expressed self-doubt, “but Tolstoy wasn’t Sendak, either. You have a vast and beautiful genius.” Ursula Nordstrom, Harper & Row.
Stephen Colbert interviewed Maurice Sendak for his program The Colbert Report. The interview was aired in two parts. You can view the first part here. Below, you will find the second part. Colbert is his usual hilarious deadpan self, but Sendak will charm you with his sincerity, his humor and his ability to more than match Colbert for wit and timing.
Do stick it out till the end - Maurice Sendak has the last word and he is marvelous (sorry ebook aficionados!).
RIP Mr. Sendak. The world of Children's Books has lost a shining star.
there are no gods (1/3)
Brief, succinct, powerful. From TheraminTrees, "there are no gods"
"A dialogue with only one participant is a monologue."
I'm posting this video today because I like the timing, as well. The author/speaker refers to the very Bible stories which were the subjects of my first two Barmy Bible Studies - the stories of Abraham and Noah. These stories, which are so popular for
TheraminTrees has a uniquely clear, easy to understand way of explaining how it was that so many freethinkers made the journey from theism to atheism.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Top Ten Creationism Countdown!
It's a rainy Monday morning, and I am recovering from the weekend trip for the graduation. I've got nothing (yet!). Lucky for us, there is always something excellent out there on the interweb!
Watch and learn! I did!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)