On Monday, November 23rd, Cindy Pham wrote a personal commentary in regards to the “push” of math and science as a core curriculum in our society. Ms. Pham believes that there is too much emphasis on these subjects. She expresses that other subjects, such as history and literature, are being left on the wayside. I deeply agree with Ms. Pham on this topic. In fact, I would like to expand on it with some of my own personal knowledge and perspectives.
As a student who excels at English, writing and creative arts, I have experienced a kind of solitude in our society due to the strict focus we have developed on Math and Science. I am not terrible at Science or Math, but I am much more well-rounded and at ease with Language, writing and other forms of artistic endeavors. Because of this leaning towards the creative side of life, I fell “through the cracks” of education in high school. None of my teachers quite “got me,” nor did they try to since they assumed I was just a troubled, incompetent student. However, I am quite self-taught. In high school I spent a large part of my time reading, writing, and exploring the arts through community and school classes. I was content and excelled at learning history and English. I also enjoyed learning languages like Spanish, French and American Sign Language. These subjects came naturally to me. However, it was a daily struggle with math and, occasionally, science. My brain is simply not “wired” for technology. Even as I sit here typing I am attempting to teach myself how to type on this keyboard and assimilate what everything on my computer represents. Because of the trauma I suffered with mean-spirited teachers (in math, particularly) I banished the idea of allowing technology into my life. Now, I am picking up those mathematical pieces because I need to acquire a degree which calls for some skill in math and science.
It is unfair and to me morally degrading to force only a certain kind of subject on an individual. It is even more burdensome to emphasis on only a certain subject in regards to a whole society. Even if it is just “The Arts” we focused on, it is still not proper or beneficial. However, I know that many people believe that intelligence equals math/science, or intelligence equals technology, but it is NOT true. I feel I am an intelligent person with the same capability of survival and progress as my scientific counterparts. Perhaps, I am progressing in a “different” fashion, but I have my purpose and place as do all the techno-savvy individuals of our society.
In reference to Ms. Pham’s statement on “advancing in technology” being a “wonderful” thing…that is debatable. For myself and many I know, technology is one of the prime destroyers of our earth and eventually will destroy our own species. Because we have so many technological advances in medicine, the human population is spreading like a wildfire. My candor may offend some, but I truly believe this earth can only sustain us for long if we continue to sneak around our mortality. I will not even touch on the subject of nuclear weapons, GMO's, or other weighty topics of technology, as I am positive it would offend many to no avail. I am probably quite alone in this subject in our Government class, but it is something I believe in with all my heart. Technology cannot “save” us. We are not made of computer chips or hard wiring. We are made of matter, emotion and various components not made by ourselves.
Ms. Pham raises a good point when speaking about the homogenizing of our brains. If we all become skilled at only one or two things and we forget aspects of life, like our history or our creative abilities, how intelligent would we really be? For me, one step further would be, “Why would we live?” If we lost our abilities to perform, sing, write, tell stories, or understand our past, what would we be made of? Why would we live without these pleasures that remind us of a great joy other than long division and lab work? This joy of the creative (the “feeling”) is why I live at all. I know I would be absolutely depressed and unreachable, on so many levels, if I could only do math and science everyday. I am too “in-love” with the natural and poetic side of life. I might remain physically present, but my essence would surely cease to be.
Ms. Pham is right, in my opinion; “there would be no balance and something would have to go wrong” if our focus narrowed in on Science and Math. Overall, I agree with Ms. Pham and I am grateful that someone had the moxy to share this point of view with the class. I especially enjoyed it when Cindy expresses that “we should do whatever it takes to be happy.” Otherwise, what is the point of living? Though, I hesitate to mention that we may want to take into consideration others “joys” and boundaries when seeking out our own, I understand her words. A life with no joy is quite like a life with no love: empty.
Thank you, Cindy, for understanding.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Saving Our Lives & Our Planet
How does one speak of such a heinous thing as what the Bishops of the Catholic Church are calling “infanticide?” Allow me to walk you through the process:
Woman once were able to have control over their bodies and overall health. This was before the Church came around and argued that it was woman’s purpose to remain baby-making machines. To go against such a request from the Church was to go against “God,” himself. No, in this time period before the cruel and unusual dogma of "The Zealot," women took care of women. It was their sacred right as daughters of their mother to work in the field of healing and health. In this era, abortionists were also healers of the town. There were no laws or people stating that to abort a child before the fifth month was murder. In fact, it was seen by many as a healthy choice for women who were victims of rape or had bodies that would not make it through the difficult period of pregnancy. Even woman who simply had too many children because their husband kept them pregnant, were not frowned upon for choosing to terminate a pregnancy to spare the rest of the family from suffering both financially and emotionally. People of the Islamic faith, and other tribal faiths throughout the world, believe the soul enters the body after the fifth month of pregnancy. Some believe it does not enter the body until the day it is actually born. For quite some time, the Church claimed abortion was wrong, but not on the grounds of “infanticide,” on the grounds that the “harlot” women involved would be depriving the biological father of a possible male heir. What??!!!! What about the woman’s life? What about the possible complications, which could lead to death for both Mother and Child? What about the mother’s future? Her wants and needs? When did women become second rate and why? Is it just because a religion says so? Is it just because a man says so?
Somewhere along the way woman lost touch with the natural herbs to help terminate an unwanted pregnancy. They also lost their rights to their bodies. Woman lost their stronghold in the medical field during the “burning times,” when many woman healers were murdered by the Church. Men took over the field and began bargaining with woman who needed abortions. They requested many things, from extra money to sex, as payment for the surgery woman once received safely and cleanly. These were cruel times, when “crude methods” of surgery were used on pregnant women. Often times, no anesthesia was used because the abortionists wanted the women out of their office as soon as possible. The fear of unwanted pregnancies became the fear of the abortionists as well. In the mid 90’s over two hundred medical clinics were bombed in protest of abortion. Zealots began threatening the doctors and their families as well as the women who needed the surgery. Much of this could be avoided if abortion was legalized AND recognized as a necessary part of life, as it once was. But, now there is unscrupulous labeling of abortion as murder without any consideration for the lives outside of the womb. Why is the mother’s, or other lives involved, less important then a tiny, few-celled organism that has yet to truly live? When I say live, I don’t me have a brain and a heartbeat; I mean expressing an intricate personality, a complex past and a promising future. Or, maybe I am just speaking of a deeply feeling, fully functioning person who is sentimental and wise. Why do we leave out the other lives involved when speaking about abortion? Is it ignorance or fear, or maybe both?
This kind of ignorance has reared its ugly head again, in the American society. As a result, many women fear for their life. The fear is not just of the zealots who are killing in the name of God or Hatred. It also stems from the trying period of pregnancy, which many women are not built to endure. Fortunately, writings by ancient women healers have recently been found. In these writings, the healers pass on their knowledge of herbal contraceptives and herbs that can terminate a pregnancy in the first trimester. These ancient healers cared about the women involved, and knew that termination herbs and oral contraceptives were vital to a woman’s health, happiness and future. This, in turn, benefited community, family and environment.
People like to say that those who are pro-abortion are anti-life when in fact it is quite the opposite. As a person who would not be able to endure a pregnancy, I am pro MY LIFE. I also believe that my child would deserve me, as well as do I believe I deserve myself. From what my doctors have told me, with the chronic illness I have, a pregnancy could lead to my death, and a motherless child.
I do not believe that legalization is enough as anti-abortionists have gone to such extremes of violence and murder to prove their point, which is, supposedly, not to murder. Hmmm…is this a bit hypocritical? I have extracted a quote from my link above, which I suggest everybody, especially men, read to get a better understanding of the history of abortion up to present times. The name of this book is Our Bodies, Ourselves For The New Century by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. I recommend everyone at least read the chapter on abortion:
“We have learned that legalization is not enough to ensure that abortions will be available to all women who want and need them. In addition to a lack of facilities and trained providers, burdensome legal restrictions, including parental consent or notification laws for minors and mandatory waiting periods, create significant obstacles. A minor who has been refused consent by a parent may have to go through an intimidating and time-consuming judicial hearing. Mandatory waiting periods may require a woman to miss extra days of work because she must go to the clinic not once, but twice, to obtain an abortion. If travel is required, this can make the whole procedure unaffordable. In other words, for millions of women, youth, race, and economic circumstances together with the lack of accessible services--especially for later abortions--translate into daunting barriers, forcing some women to resort to unsafe and illegal abortions and self-abortions”
In case you do not know what “self-abortion” is, it is a dangerous attempt to force a miscarriage, which often leads to death of the mother. This is real, folks! When discussing pregnancy and abortion we are not just talking about the incredibly young life of a zygote! We are talking about the life of the woman and all others involved. My sister, to this day, has not said one “thank you” to me for spending so much of my time and energy on her first child, when I should have been making decent grades in high school. Though it enriched my life to be with my niece, it played a significant part in affecting my grades negatively and I am paying the price now. I was fourteen then and I have spent a great deal of time with children since. I love children and the Earth very much, which is why I believe abortion should stay legalized and should be better understood by our society. This, like the “gay” thing, goes beyond a political issue. I question why it is even on the “political alter” to be judged, at all. It is an extremely personal matter. I cannot even imagine what would happen if I was raped and could not get a legal abortion—the risk I would take, due to the trauma of such an event. These seem unspeakable things, but they are happening whether or not abortion is legalized. Women will always find a way to get an abortion if they truly do not want the child, or if their life is put at risk in carrying one. It IS their right to choose because it is also THEIR life on the line. Of course, many people (i.e. some men or anti-abortionists) may disagree, or see my opinion as hollow because it is coming from a woman. Maybe they will instantly disagree because it is coming from a lesbian or a liberal. To them, I say; put your Self in THAT woman’s shoes. Put yourself in the place of an oppressed, restricted women who needs—NEEDS—that abortion. She needs to terminate that few-celled organism in order to save her established, connected, many-year[ed] life. She wants to stay on Earth with her loved ones, her achievements, and her small but significant moments. Or, perhaps she wants the life of her other children to be healthy and whole. Perhaps a new life would become such a burden that the family couldn’t stay afloat financially, and those children consequently would suffer by the choice to not terminate. Perhaps the woman knows the torment many foster children go through before they are adopted and she doesn’t want that little embryo to endure that torture. There are so many possible scenarios to think about. It is not just about the "dumb" teen who didn’t wear a condom, or the "call girl" who forgot her pill. There are more complex issues within this topic. I would ask that everyone do thorough research on abortion before making a quick, heedless judgment.
Another topic many people choose to ignore in regards to abortion is overpopulation. We have too many people on the planet! There is a pile of trash the size of Texas on Earth. It is incredibly deep and it is floating around in our oceans! I love my family and cherish their lives. I am happy to be here and to know my nieces, sisters and parents. However, I have (and many others I know have) expressed to the earth that I would gladly accept the ending of my life here if it meant that She and all the other creatures could live without the torment of us humans. Many people do not see the damage we are doing to our oceans, land and all the creatures therein. We are so consumed in our lives and our beliefs that we take for granted the earth and abuse it to frailness and barrenness. Many of us ignore or resist this obvious occurrence of the daily depredation and dissolution of the Earth. It is much easier to ignore then to look at because the damage is catastrophic and the suffering is unbearable. Unfortunately, ignoring it only perpetuates the cycle of destruction. It is such a sad thing to me and to many people I know. Often times we find ourselves in tears on the earth’s behalf. Our population has more than doubled in the last 100 years. If we keep going at the rate we are now, we will have no resources left, nor will our animal families. Scientists are already predicting the beginning of the next ice age because of the rapid pace the planet is warming up at, and we are the main cause of this increase in pace! Why are we making so many babies if we care about the future of our children and our planet? These are questions I cannot answer, but I do feel strongly about not making my own children because of the crisis at hand. We are in for a ride over the next 50 years or more. I want to be a part of the healing of Earth and humankind. I believe that requires allowing abortion and recognizing the beauty in it. I believe it requires us to acknowledge overpopulation and take action against its rapid growth. I feel we will witness, as a society and species, the wonder and love given to the Earth and all its life forms (including ourselves) by stepping up and accepting these responsibilities.
Woman once were able to have control over their bodies and overall health. This was before the Church came around and argued that it was woman’s purpose to remain baby-making machines. To go against such a request from the Church was to go against “God,” himself. No, in this time period before the cruel and unusual dogma of "The Zealot," women took care of women. It was their sacred right as daughters of their mother to work in the field of healing and health. In this era, abortionists were also healers of the town. There were no laws or people stating that to abort a child before the fifth month was murder. In fact, it was seen by many as a healthy choice for women who were victims of rape or had bodies that would not make it through the difficult period of pregnancy. Even woman who simply had too many children because their husband kept them pregnant, were not frowned upon for choosing to terminate a pregnancy to spare the rest of the family from suffering both financially and emotionally. People of the Islamic faith, and other tribal faiths throughout the world, believe the soul enters the body after the fifth month of pregnancy. Some believe it does not enter the body until the day it is actually born. For quite some time, the Church claimed abortion was wrong, but not on the grounds of “infanticide,” on the grounds that the “harlot” women involved would be depriving the biological father of a possible male heir. What??!!!! What about the woman’s life? What about the possible complications, which could lead to death for both Mother and Child? What about the mother’s future? Her wants and needs? When did women become second rate and why? Is it just because a religion says so? Is it just because a man says so?
Somewhere along the way woman lost touch with the natural herbs to help terminate an unwanted pregnancy. They also lost their rights to their bodies. Woman lost their stronghold in the medical field during the “burning times,” when many woman healers were murdered by the Church. Men took over the field and began bargaining with woman who needed abortions. They requested many things, from extra money to sex, as payment for the surgery woman once received safely and cleanly. These were cruel times, when “crude methods” of surgery were used on pregnant women. Often times, no anesthesia was used because the abortionists wanted the women out of their office as soon as possible. The fear of unwanted pregnancies became the fear of the abortionists as well. In the mid 90’s over two hundred medical clinics were bombed in protest of abortion. Zealots began threatening the doctors and their families as well as the women who needed the surgery. Much of this could be avoided if abortion was legalized AND recognized as a necessary part of life, as it once was. But, now there is unscrupulous labeling of abortion as murder without any consideration for the lives outside of the womb. Why is the mother’s, or other lives involved, less important then a tiny, few-celled organism that has yet to truly live? When I say live, I don’t me have a brain and a heartbeat; I mean expressing an intricate personality, a complex past and a promising future. Or, maybe I am just speaking of a deeply feeling, fully functioning person who is sentimental and wise. Why do we leave out the other lives involved when speaking about abortion? Is it ignorance or fear, or maybe both?
This kind of ignorance has reared its ugly head again, in the American society. As a result, many women fear for their life. The fear is not just of the zealots who are killing in the name of God or Hatred. It also stems from the trying period of pregnancy, which many women are not built to endure. Fortunately, writings by ancient women healers have recently been found. In these writings, the healers pass on their knowledge of herbal contraceptives and herbs that can terminate a pregnancy in the first trimester. These ancient healers cared about the women involved, and knew that termination herbs and oral contraceptives were vital to a woman’s health, happiness and future. This, in turn, benefited community, family and environment.
People like to say that those who are pro-abortion are anti-life when in fact it is quite the opposite. As a person who would not be able to endure a pregnancy, I am pro MY LIFE. I also believe that my child would deserve me, as well as do I believe I deserve myself. From what my doctors have told me, with the chronic illness I have, a pregnancy could lead to my death, and a motherless child.
I do not believe that legalization is enough as anti-abortionists have gone to such extremes of violence and murder to prove their point, which is, supposedly, not to murder. Hmmm…is this a bit hypocritical? I have extracted a quote from my link above, which I suggest everybody, especially men, read to get a better understanding of the history of abortion up to present times. The name of this book is Our Bodies, Ourselves For The New Century by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. I recommend everyone at least read the chapter on abortion:
“We have learned that legalization is not enough to ensure that abortions will be available to all women who want and need them. In addition to a lack of facilities and trained providers, burdensome legal restrictions, including parental consent or notification laws for minors and mandatory waiting periods, create significant obstacles. A minor who has been refused consent by a parent may have to go through an intimidating and time-consuming judicial hearing. Mandatory waiting periods may require a woman to miss extra days of work because she must go to the clinic not once, but twice, to obtain an abortion. If travel is required, this can make the whole procedure unaffordable. In other words, for millions of women, youth, race, and economic circumstances together with the lack of accessible services--especially for later abortions--translate into daunting barriers, forcing some women to resort to unsafe and illegal abortions and self-abortions”
In case you do not know what “self-abortion” is, it is a dangerous attempt to force a miscarriage, which often leads to death of the mother. This is real, folks! When discussing pregnancy and abortion we are not just talking about the incredibly young life of a zygote! We are talking about the life of the woman and all others involved. My sister, to this day, has not said one “thank you” to me for spending so much of my time and energy on her first child, when I should have been making decent grades in high school. Though it enriched my life to be with my niece, it played a significant part in affecting my grades negatively and I am paying the price now. I was fourteen then and I have spent a great deal of time with children since. I love children and the Earth very much, which is why I believe abortion should stay legalized and should be better understood by our society. This, like the “gay” thing, goes beyond a political issue. I question why it is even on the “political alter” to be judged, at all. It is an extremely personal matter. I cannot even imagine what would happen if I was raped and could not get a legal abortion—the risk I would take, due to the trauma of such an event. These seem unspeakable things, but they are happening whether or not abortion is legalized. Women will always find a way to get an abortion if they truly do not want the child, or if their life is put at risk in carrying one. It IS their right to choose because it is also THEIR life on the line. Of course, many people (i.e. some men or anti-abortionists) may disagree, or see my opinion as hollow because it is coming from a woman. Maybe they will instantly disagree because it is coming from a lesbian or a liberal. To them, I say; put your Self in THAT woman’s shoes. Put yourself in the place of an oppressed, restricted women who needs—NEEDS—that abortion. She needs to terminate that few-celled organism in order to save her established, connected, many-year[ed] life. She wants to stay on Earth with her loved ones, her achievements, and her small but significant moments. Or, perhaps she wants the life of her other children to be healthy and whole. Perhaps a new life would become such a burden that the family couldn’t stay afloat financially, and those children consequently would suffer by the choice to not terminate. Perhaps the woman knows the torment many foster children go through before they are adopted and she doesn’t want that little embryo to endure that torture. There are so many possible scenarios to think about. It is not just about the "dumb" teen who didn’t wear a condom, or the "call girl" who forgot her pill. There are more complex issues within this topic. I would ask that everyone do thorough research on abortion before making a quick, heedless judgment.
Another topic many people choose to ignore in regards to abortion is overpopulation. We have too many people on the planet! There is a pile of trash the size of Texas on Earth. It is incredibly deep and it is floating around in our oceans! I love my family and cherish their lives. I am happy to be here and to know my nieces, sisters and parents. However, I have (and many others I know have) expressed to the earth that I would gladly accept the ending of my life here if it meant that She and all the other creatures could live without the torment of us humans. Many people do not see the damage we are doing to our oceans, land and all the creatures therein. We are so consumed in our lives and our beliefs that we take for granted the earth and abuse it to frailness and barrenness. Many of us ignore or resist this obvious occurrence of the daily depredation and dissolution of the Earth. It is much easier to ignore then to look at because the damage is catastrophic and the suffering is unbearable. Unfortunately, ignoring it only perpetuates the cycle of destruction. It is such a sad thing to me and to many people I know. Often times we find ourselves in tears on the earth’s behalf. Our population has more than doubled in the last 100 years. If we keep going at the rate we are now, we will have no resources left, nor will our animal families. Scientists are already predicting the beginning of the next ice age because of the rapid pace the planet is warming up at, and we are the main cause of this increase in pace! Why are we making so many babies if we care about the future of our children and our planet? These are questions I cannot answer, but I do feel strongly about not making my own children because of the crisis at hand. We are in for a ride over the next 50 years or more. I want to be a part of the healing of Earth and humankind. I believe that requires allowing abortion and recognizing the beauty in it. I believe it requires us to acknowledge overpopulation and take action against its rapid growth. I feel we will witness, as a society and species, the wonder and love given to the Earth and all its life forms (including ourselves) by stepping up and accepting these responsibilities.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Here's That "Gay" Thing Again!
Hmmmm, an enticing argument: Gay marriage. If you could not tell, my critique is a retort to Mr. Toohey’s commentary on gay marriage. Although I agree that marriage should be recognized in all states, I disagree deeply with Toohey’s statement that marriage should be between a man and a woman because the Bible "says so." I also disagree, with proof to follow, that being gay is “a choice.” Let's go back to before the founder fathers--whom, by the way, were Deists and quite unlike today’s Christians. They believed that black people had no souls. Woman were not much to them, either. Women were kind of a “side note” to men. Woman's purpose was to make babies and upkeep the home. However, we can travel back in time even further to a place much more accepting of the gay culture.
Once upon a time, in a land not far away, gay marriage occurred within the ancient religious sects of Judaism. These people and their sects were labeled by the church "Backsliders," because they kept returning to their original form of worship, which was the worship of "Goddess" and her sacred son and daughter. These sacred ceremonies were passed down by their "founding fathers" and practiced regularly up until the time of the Yahwists. Ceremonies between two men and two women go back in history further than Toohey's idea of “traditional marriage.” The ancient Essenians were the dominating sect that practiced gay-marriage, among other sacred ceremonies. Ancient Judaism is just one “place” out of thousands you can research and discover within it a world of lesbianism and homosexuality. Archeologists and Scholars are finding more and more evidence that gays have been around, and in some cultures revered, for a very long time. History is filled with the essence, worship and struggles of gays. In addition, though gay interactions may not appear to be (by some) occurring often in our human world today, they do occur, regularly, in the animal kingdom. Many of those interactions become lifelong relationships, as do their human counterparts.
As our colleague Mollie stated: the Bible has been “mis-interpreted” time and time agian. Toohey states that he does not hate gays, yet he believes they should not be allowed to celebrate there love with divine intention and infusion. Well, he seems to believe that being gay is a choice, too. Yup, I caught that! Though he says “lifestyle” to follow, his first choice of wording is “choice.” Is it a choice for a man to love a woman? No, it is not a choice but it is a feeling. Love is a deep sense of acknowledgment, reverence, and intimacy. Love is not a “choice.” Pick up any psychology book, any study done in the last 10 years and you'll find a treat! Being gay is not a choice. Scientists today are finding more and more evidence pointing towards hormone activity in-utero. The current studies suggest a possible “bath” in hormones during the embryonic stage of development. Some babies are bathed predominantly in either testosterone or estrogen. If a girl baby is bathed more heavily in testosterone, scientists have found it will contribute greatly to her sexual leaning towards other girls, and to the masculinization of her brain. The same applies to boys, if bathed heavily in estrogen. These are the latest theories, and experiments (on rats) being done to discover when sexual orientation is formed and how. However, even if life experiences bring a person to a certain sexual leaning I do not believe it is our place to judge. These are very personal matters that should never have been made so public, but are forced into the media and politics because of narrow minds and closed hearts. Much of this ignorance stems from those who consistently refer to the Bible as a discriminatory cudgel. A cudgel used to separate the masses and keep them battling over centuries.
The controversy of the Bible and its writers still goes on today, while the world continues to evolve passed much of its original discrimination. Re-written over 43 times, and by people who did not practiced the same religion of the characters within the Bible, Scholars and holy-men alike continue to battle out what is real and what is fiction within the seemingly coded pages of this document. Much of it was written to oppress the "pagan" or peasant people of the time, who tended to worship what they called the Goddess, and later, when the Bible became more prominent, continued to worship in secrecy the three Mary's of the Bible. Research the Cathars or Knights Templar. The Inquisition, unfortunately, wiped most of them and their "peace-loving" ways out. Let's move forward to the age of Constantine. We'll skip over "St." Augustine, because he is just a whole other blog!
Constantine and his “merry band of men” threw into the Bible a great deal of significant changes. Many scholars and priests are still uncertain today which portions were written by him and his men. Other portions were written by the Yahwists (they composed the Pentateuch) at around 400AD. Of course, many portions were re-written and manipulated to serve Constantine’s will. He sought to settle a fued between warring religious “tribes” in order to gain more land, and with the land, more power. Regardless of this, the Yahwists had a specific agenda, as did Constantine: power, not love.
But, this is what I am really talking about when I speak of true marriage; Love, and a celebration of that love. Not the ability to procreate or what a book and its authors say a divine union should be. Not a history fraught with violence, prejudice and small minds working solely for individual benefit. I am talking about a movement of grace within the individual and nurtured by something divine between the two involved. It is a movement that cannot be defined and is constantly being challenged by convention because it appears unconventional by America and some other countries’ standards. The love between same-sex couples is just as real, spiritual and awesome as the love between heterosexual couples. You might be amazed, Toohey. Spend some time with a genuine gay couple who have been together for a while. It just might change your mind about gays and their powerful love. The social (family and workplace), and individual benefits that could arise from these realizations and improvements might just be wonderful. Allowing gays to marry (adopt, serve in military, have sex, be protected under law) would create a unity and understanding that may have the power to erase the ill treatment directed towards gays. Maybe even the education system would respond and fewer children would have to suffer the teasing and torment I had growing up.
These unprecedented improvements are real. One can only oppress a people so long before they rebel. Well, that's already happened; Stonewall is a great example of a revolt. On another note, I had my first crush on someone of the same sex when I was 7...lifestyle choice? Please, do not decide on such an intimate issue you have never lived. It is invasive and unjustified. Marriage is such a personal matter, it is insulting to us when it is made public and scrutinized so heavily by those who are not gay or have little understanding as to what being gay really is, and means. No one is asking those opposing gay marriage to marry a gay! We just want the same rights and freedoms as our heterosexual neighbors.
I highly recommend Toohey do some thorough research on gays, gay marriage and the Bible before making such bold assumptions about "choice", influence and the reality of gays in history. Who would choose to be gay in a world that, overall, does not like us? Some even hate us enough to murder us. I think if Mr. Toohey can support his opinion with more facts and less intrapersonal gusto, he may better sway his readers. Also, it will give me an excuse to write another critique! On a more serious note, studies have been done on the theory of gays being shaped by their environment, and are still inconclusive today. Scientists cannot find enough evidence that gays are shaped by their environment and events therein, as too many of them had a wonderful up-bringing in what society views as a perfectly "normal" household. Please, do us gays a favor, and stop making heady assumptions about gays, and stating them as truths. In regards to Toohey's second posting on gays: Not everyone believes we are "born into sin." Statistics today show that less and less people are calling themselves "religious" because they refuse to believe in the dogma of the church, and are seeking a more positive, encompassing way to live. So, perhaps your "God" said "we were born into sin" but, many peoples "God", today, would never say such a thing.
Once upon a time, in a land not far away, gay marriage occurred within the ancient religious sects of Judaism. These people and their sects were labeled by the church "Backsliders," because they kept returning to their original form of worship, which was the worship of "Goddess" and her sacred son and daughter. These sacred ceremonies were passed down by their "founding fathers" and practiced regularly up until the time of the Yahwists. Ceremonies between two men and two women go back in history further than Toohey's idea of “traditional marriage.” The ancient Essenians were the dominating sect that practiced gay-marriage, among other sacred ceremonies. Ancient Judaism is just one “place” out of thousands you can research and discover within it a world of lesbianism and homosexuality. Archeologists and Scholars are finding more and more evidence that gays have been around, and in some cultures revered, for a very long time. History is filled with the essence, worship and struggles of gays. In addition, though gay interactions may not appear to be (by some) occurring often in our human world today, they do occur, regularly, in the animal kingdom. Many of those interactions become lifelong relationships, as do their human counterparts.
As our colleague Mollie stated: the Bible has been “mis-interpreted” time and time agian. Toohey states that he does not hate gays, yet he believes they should not be allowed to celebrate there love with divine intention and infusion. Well, he seems to believe that being gay is a choice, too. Yup, I caught that! Though he says “lifestyle” to follow, his first choice of wording is “choice.” Is it a choice for a man to love a woman? No, it is not a choice but it is a feeling. Love is a deep sense of acknowledgment, reverence, and intimacy. Love is not a “choice.” Pick up any psychology book, any study done in the last 10 years and you'll find a treat! Being gay is not a choice. Scientists today are finding more and more evidence pointing towards hormone activity in-utero. The current studies suggest a possible “bath” in hormones during the embryonic stage of development. Some babies are bathed predominantly in either testosterone or estrogen. If a girl baby is bathed more heavily in testosterone, scientists have found it will contribute greatly to her sexual leaning towards other girls, and to the masculinization of her brain. The same applies to boys, if bathed heavily in estrogen. These are the latest theories, and experiments (on rats) being done to discover when sexual orientation is formed and how. However, even if life experiences bring a person to a certain sexual leaning I do not believe it is our place to judge. These are very personal matters that should never have been made so public, but are forced into the media and politics because of narrow minds and closed hearts. Much of this ignorance stems from those who consistently refer to the Bible as a discriminatory cudgel. A cudgel used to separate the masses and keep them battling over centuries.
The controversy of the Bible and its writers still goes on today, while the world continues to evolve passed much of its original discrimination. Re-written over 43 times, and by people who did not practiced the same religion of the characters within the Bible, Scholars and holy-men alike continue to battle out what is real and what is fiction within the seemingly coded pages of this document. Much of it was written to oppress the "pagan" or peasant people of the time, who tended to worship what they called the Goddess, and later, when the Bible became more prominent, continued to worship in secrecy the three Mary's of the Bible. Research the Cathars or Knights Templar. The Inquisition, unfortunately, wiped most of them and their "peace-loving" ways out. Let's move forward to the age of Constantine. We'll skip over "St." Augustine, because he is just a whole other blog!
Constantine and his “merry band of men” threw into the Bible a great deal of significant changes. Many scholars and priests are still uncertain today which portions were written by him and his men. Other portions were written by the Yahwists (they composed the Pentateuch) at around 400AD. Of course, many portions were re-written and manipulated to serve Constantine’s will. He sought to settle a fued between warring religious “tribes” in order to gain more land, and with the land, more power. Regardless of this, the Yahwists had a specific agenda, as did Constantine: power, not love.
But, this is what I am really talking about when I speak of true marriage; Love, and a celebration of that love. Not the ability to procreate or what a book and its authors say a divine union should be. Not a history fraught with violence, prejudice and small minds working solely for individual benefit. I am talking about a movement of grace within the individual and nurtured by something divine between the two involved. It is a movement that cannot be defined and is constantly being challenged by convention because it appears unconventional by America and some other countries’ standards. The love between same-sex couples is just as real, spiritual and awesome as the love between heterosexual couples. You might be amazed, Toohey. Spend some time with a genuine gay couple who have been together for a while. It just might change your mind about gays and their powerful love. The social (family and workplace), and individual benefits that could arise from these realizations and improvements might just be wonderful. Allowing gays to marry (adopt, serve in military, have sex, be protected under law) would create a unity and understanding that may have the power to erase the ill treatment directed towards gays. Maybe even the education system would respond and fewer children would have to suffer the teasing and torment I had growing up.
These unprecedented improvements are real. One can only oppress a people so long before they rebel. Well, that's already happened; Stonewall is a great example of a revolt. On another note, I had my first crush on someone of the same sex when I was 7...lifestyle choice? Please, do not decide on such an intimate issue you have never lived. It is invasive and unjustified. Marriage is such a personal matter, it is insulting to us when it is made public and scrutinized so heavily by those who are not gay or have little understanding as to what being gay really is, and means. No one is asking those opposing gay marriage to marry a gay! We just want the same rights and freedoms as our heterosexual neighbors.
I highly recommend Toohey do some thorough research on gays, gay marriage and the Bible before making such bold assumptions about "choice", influence and the reality of gays in history. Who would choose to be gay in a world that, overall, does not like us? Some even hate us enough to murder us. I think if Mr. Toohey can support his opinion with more facts and less intrapersonal gusto, he may better sway his readers. Also, it will give me an excuse to write another critique! On a more serious note, studies have been done on the theory of gays being shaped by their environment, and are still inconclusive today. Scientists cannot find enough evidence that gays are shaped by their environment and events therein, as too many of them had a wonderful up-bringing in what society views as a perfectly "normal" household. Please, do us gays a favor, and stop making heady assumptions about gays, and stating them as truths. In regards to Toohey's second posting on gays: Not everyone believes we are "born into sin." Statistics today show that less and less people are calling themselves "religious" because they refuse to believe in the dogma of the church, and are seeking a more positive, encompassing way to live. So, perhaps your "God" said "we were born into sin" but, many peoples "God", today, would never say such a thing.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Gap
What’s in a word? Perhaps very little, unless we’re talking about the word gap. No, I am not referring to that fashionable clothing department store with the commercials that give us those warm fuzzy feelings inside; I’m talking about the huge economic gap that has been taking this country by storm.
Many people represent something I like to call “Denialists.” No, you will not find it in the dictionary, but you will find them evenly dispersed throughout the land of America. Yup, can’t miss ‘em because they are the ones pretending that the middle class is secure and of a healthy number. They are the ones clinging to the new “American Dream” which is more disturbing to me than the original dream. Maybe you have heard of it? It is called, “Get rich, no matter what the cost!” This kind of mindset is generally located in that fun-loving guy or gal you meet and attempt to converse with about peace and community building ideas and their general response is a hearty laugh or an angry outburst. “How come the poor and middle-class deserve financial attention and us “richies” don’t?” might be something they would say. Of course, what a silly suggestion! Help those in need? I mean, look at where life has placed them! How about for once posing the latter thought with one slight variation: Look at where our system has placed them. Not all people in the low-to-middle-class range screwed up their lives by continuously making bad choices. Our system is a very difficult structure to break out of and to build upon it something more functional and satisfying.
It may be true that the top .1 percent in America is being taxed at a relatively high rate. However, the top .1 percent are making at minimum 1.3 million dollars a year. But, 1.3 million sliced in half is still 650,000 dollars a year. What a travesty that the “top dogs” must help us lowly workers. Sheesh, I’d be satisfied making $30,000 annually.
According to Princeton professor of economics Paul Krugman, “Middle-class Americans have been caught up in a rat race, not because they are greedy or foolish but because they’re trying to give their children a chance in an increasingly unequal society. And they are right to be worried: a bad start can ruin a child’s chances for life.” People in America’s middle-class are disappearing. However, it is not because our system is set up in such a quaint way that anyone can be bumped up to the upper class. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Here is the dirty, rotten truth: “The fact is that vast income inequality inevitably brings vast social inequality in its train. This social inequality isn’t just a matter of envy and insults. It has real, negative consequences for the way people live in this country” (Krugmen, “Confronting Inequality”). I know about some of these inequalities. I cannot marry in most states, adopt a child in most states or receive specific benefits from the government, at all. If I chose to be in the military, I could be easily discharged, without benefits, if someone found out I was gay or if I was honest about my sexual preferences (in which I would choose honesty). My presence, everyday, is questioned and on display anytime I do not walk “feminine enough” or if I want to hold my girlfriend’s hand. I have few ways, currently, of moving up in the system because of the inequalities between gays and straight people. Being fired from a summer job because of my orientation was my first wake up call, which shown light on the wall dividing heterosexuals from “other.”
In Europe, studies have been done throughout various countries, including America, to show the difficulty of moving from a lower class to an upper class (Krugmen). America, apparently, has one of the most tumultuous and resistant economic systems in the world. Parents often try to provide a good education for their kids by moving to a better school district, which is generally more expensive to live in. However, because they are “ranked” in the middle class, eventually face rising mortgages and are forced to file for bankruptcy, or worse, many of those people are forced to live on the streets. Sounds familiar, huh? Where is the money to ensure a better future for our kids? Why don’t we care more about these families who simply wanted to provide the best that they could for their children?
In our society, we pay our CEO’s roughly $1,000 an HOUR! Would you like to know what we pay the educators of our youth? They receive, in estimate, anywhere from $25,000 to $45,000 a year. At most, that’s around $123 a day. Hmmmm, something must be wrong with this set-up. We seem to punish those who are more intelligent and/or compassionate who choose to participate in life choices which involve helping people, such as our educators. We then continue this imbalanced cycle by rewarding jobs that are hollow and self-gratifying with incredibly high pay.
I like this guy a lot, so I’m going to quote him again. Paul Krugman also points out a curious “quirk” in our tax laws:
“Through a quirk in the way the tax laws have been interpreted, these [hedge fund] managers—some of whom make more than a billion dollars a year—get to have most of their earnings taxed at the capitol gains rate, which is only 15 percent, even as other high earners pay a 35 percent rate. The hedge fund tax loophole costs the government more than $6 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, roughly the cost of providing healthcare for three million children. Almost $2 billion of the total goes to just twenty-five individuals.”
What does this mean to the everyday individual? It means that a huge sum of money ($6 billion), which should be dispersed for more productive purposes, is being kept by big-wig managers who have little empathy for the “little people’s” lives that they are consequently stepping on. This is all because of the way our tax laws were written and the manipulating minds who want to wield the power of its man-made mistakes. I won’t even begin to talk about the Bush tax cuts that were passed, which only helped the top 1 percent. You can do that research on your own. This is, as Krugmen stated, “tax abuse.”
These are just a few of many economic imbalances in our country that contribute to the evident downward spiral our country has been facing. I could discuss this topic for pages more, but I will leave the responsibility to the reader to discover more about these inequalities in our system.
For my reader’s information, Paul Krugmen won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, and has written many op-ed columns in the New York Times. He has recorded throughout the years some fascinating information about the way America’s economy functions and I recommend anyone daring enough to check out some of his articles. The quotes in this blog were taken from a chapter called “Confronting Inequality”, which was written in his book The Conscience of a Liberal.
Many people represent something I like to call “Denialists.” No, you will not find it in the dictionary, but you will find them evenly dispersed throughout the land of America. Yup, can’t miss ‘em because they are the ones pretending that the middle class is secure and of a healthy number. They are the ones clinging to the new “American Dream” which is more disturbing to me than the original dream. Maybe you have heard of it? It is called, “Get rich, no matter what the cost!” This kind of mindset is generally located in that fun-loving guy or gal you meet and attempt to converse with about peace and community building ideas and their general response is a hearty laugh or an angry outburst. “How come the poor and middle-class deserve financial attention and us “richies” don’t?” might be something they would say. Of course, what a silly suggestion! Help those in need? I mean, look at where life has placed them! How about for once posing the latter thought with one slight variation: Look at where our system has placed them. Not all people in the low-to-middle-class range screwed up their lives by continuously making bad choices. Our system is a very difficult structure to break out of and to build upon it something more functional and satisfying.
It may be true that the top .1 percent in America is being taxed at a relatively high rate. However, the top .1 percent are making at minimum 1.3 million dollars a year. But, 1.3 million sliced in half is still 650,000 dollars a year. What a travesty that the “top dogs” must help us lowly workers. Sheesh, I’d be satisfied making $30,000 annually.
According to Princeton professor of economics Paul Krugman, “Middle-class Americans have been caught up in a rat race, not because they are greedy or foolish but because they’re trying to give their children a chance in an increasingly unequal society. And they are right to be worried: a bad start can ruin a child’s chances for life.” People in America’s middle-class are disappearing. However, it is not because our system is set up in such a quaint way that anyone can be bumped up to the upper class. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Here is the dirty, rotten truth: “The fact is that vast income inequality inevitably brings vast social inequality in its train. This social inequality isn’t just a matter of envy and insults. It has real, negative consequences for the way people live in this country” (Krugmen, “Confronting Inequality”). I know about some of these inequalities. I cannot marry in most states, adopt a child in most states or receive specific benefits from the government, at all. If I chose to be in the military, I could be easily discharged, without benefits, if someone found out I was gay or if I was honest about my sexual preferences (in which I would choose honesty). My presence, everyday, is questioned and on display anytime I do not walk “feminine enough” or if I want to hold my girlfriend’s hand. I have few ways, currently, of moving up in the system because of the inequalities between gays and straight people. Being fired from a summer job because of my orientation was my first wake up call, which shown light on the wall dividing heterosexuals from “other.”
In Europe, studies have been done throughout various countries, including America, to show the difficulty of moving from a lower class to an upper class (Krugmen). America, apparently, has one of the most tumultuous and resistant economic systems in the world. Parents often try to provide a good education for their kids by moving to a better school district, which is generally more expensive to live in. However, because they are “ranked” in the middle class, eventually face rising mortgages and are forced to file for bankruptcy, or worse, many of those people are forced to live on the streets. Sounds familiar, huh? Where is the money to ensure a better future for our kids? Why don’t we care more about these families who simply wanted to provide the best that they could for their children?
In our society, we pay our CEO’s roughly $1,000 an HOUR! Would you like to know what we pay the educators of our youth? They receive, in estimate, anywhere from $25,000 to $45,000 a year. At most, that’s around $123 a day. Hmmmm, something must be wrong with this set-up. We seem to punish those who are more intelligent and/or compassionate who choose to participate in life choices which involve helping people, such as our educators. We then continue this imbalanced cycle by rewarding jobs that are hollow and self-gratifying with incredibly high pay.
I like this guy a lot, so I’m going to quote him again. Paul Krugman also points out a curious “quirk” in our tax laws:
“Through a quirk in the way the tax laws have been interpreted, these [hedge fund] managers—some of whom make more than a billion dollars a year—get to have most of their earnings taxed at the capitol gains rate, which is only 15 percent, even as other high earners pay a 35 percent rate. The hedge fund tax loophole costs the government more than $6 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, roughly the cost of providing healthcare for three million children. Almost $2 billion of the total goes to just twenty-five individuals.”
What does this mean to the everyday individual? It means that a huge sum of money ($6 billion), which should be dispersed for more productive purposes, is being kept by big-wig managers who have little empathy for the “little people’s” lives that they are consequently stepping on. This is all because of the way our tax laws were written and the manipulating minds who want to wield the power of its man-made mistakes. I won’t even begin to talk about the Bush tax cuts that were passed, which only helped the top 1 percent. You can do that research on your own. This is, as Krugmen stated, “tax abuse.”
These are just a few of many economic imbalances in our country that contribute to the evident downward spiral our country has been facing. I could discuss this topic for pages more, but I will leave the responsibility to the reader to discover more about these inequalities in our system.
For my reader’s information, Paul Krugmen won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2008, and has written many op-ed columns in the New York Times. He has recorded throughout the years some fascinating information about the way America’s economy functions and I recommend anyone daring enough to check out some of his articles. The quotes in this blog were taken from a chapter called “Confronting Inequality”, which was written in his book The Conscience of a Liberal.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Inviolable War and it's Sacrilegious Foes
I found this rather “foggy” but approachable piece, titled “Anti-war Groups Launch ‘March of the Dead’ Protests," in a news blog by Mr. Donald Douglas. It was posted in American Power, a neo-conservative news and blog site, on October 5th of this year. Mr. Douglas utilizes his big boy words like “anarcho-communist” and “socialism” to degrade the anti-war protesters that marched on “the White House” on the “8th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.” Rather they marched on it or in front of it has yet to be properly recorded by the neo-conservatives of today’s sophisticated society. I apologize, allow me to re-direct you back to the purpose of this sumptuous blog; In short, a bunch of people from several peace organizations protested against Guantanamo, Bagram, and the “war” in Afghanistan on Monday, the 5th of October. Sixty-one of them were arrested because they protested for the prisoners of this war to be released and for the war to stop. I personally think that there are more constructive routes to pursue other than protesting. Contrarily, I applaud people who attempt something to influence our society in the attempted direction of peace. In America, (and as a living being, if you ask me) it is our inexorable right to speak up about what we believe in.
It was only a few short weeks ago that thousands of conservatives gathered together to protest the bill (still in a neonate stage) for healthcare reformation. Some of the protesters who attended bore signs of hatred and racism which apparently were acceptable to the others present at the rally. I wonder; how long into the day did these angry protesters exercise their right to appear racist and unreasonable until a fellow conservative turned to them to say “dude, the swastika…so not cool.” Does anyone know how many of the people at this, mostly, conservative rally were arrested? I ask with sincerity as I have found only conflicting information.
Mr. Douglas describes the protest in extended detail when he refers to the people as “modern day Leninists” and “neo-communists.” I suppose some of them might be offended by these comments; however, others might be flattered by the suggestion of such a label. Our system is so old and fractured that many of us get little, if anything, from it. What is wrong with pondering other options? Why are we so quick to assume that those who seek a change in the system do not love their country? What if they love it more than those who are unwilling to budge? I have heard from a couple people from socialist countries who declare socialism is working out rather well and that the system here, in their opinion, is way behind. I cannot speak further about socialism as I lack the credentials, but I do feel that the poor in America are just getting poorer and most of the rich…well, you know the saying…are becoming greedier and less compassionate.
My partner is a sustainable designer who is currently working on a house for two people. The house is 3,500 square feet, including two toilets and two showers in their main bathroom, as well as a bathroom specifically for washing the dogs. It has very little ability to actually become a “green” house with all the material and space being used. My partner is in pain every time she looks at the blueprints, and considers in those moments changing her career once she can afford to do so. While Mr. X and Mrs. X. are pre-occupied with creating their ostentatious dream house, people from Katrina are homeless and running out of support from the government and the general population of society. Poor women, without a family and with no ability to support a child seeded by a rapist, are watching their rights being tossed around by society’s elite. To choose a healthy future for themselves (body, mind and emotions) is not really their choice anymore. And this dude wants to bash some people who just want some !@#%*$! peace! Our focus should be directed towards building a safer, more peaceful and inclusive way to live. Instead, we put our money and our rage towards physically and verbally violent outbursts (often against our own neighbors) which only perpetuates this very power-hungry, non-sustainable way of existing.
On that note, I will give Douglas’s pontificating paragraphs a tid-bit of credit. It is, in my opinion, not the most productive way to exercise one’s rights by dressing up and displaying strongly opinionated signs and performances. A person is bound to cross another’s political “line” using this method of expression. Although, I cannot dismiss the idea that “following orders” might not be a valid “excuse” for the Nazi’s who were present at Nuremburg. I do not have enough background information to extend anymore knowledge on this subject to my readers. But, you know what they say when you are in a war; “It’s either kill or be killed,” either by the enemy or by your own higher-ranking officers. That’s why I feel that people should try to avoid joining a military force in the first place, if they can. Too much energy and resource is spent in the endeavor of war. We need to balance it out with some amount of peace.
I found Mr. Douglas’s commentary to be whimsically hypocritical and very narrow-minded. His writing style and views are clearly intended for the right-leaning extremists of society. Again, another politically opinionated individual functioning from fear and driven by the anger germinated within that fear. I could find little credibility on this man, except that it is his blog and someone has created an opposing blog called American Nihilist in retaliation of Douglas’s blog. I found this commentary equally entertaining with quite a bit of dirty language in here, too, just of a different sort. In some ways this blog is less dirty than Mr. D’s, but you need to dig deep (and I mean DEEP) into the “pool of moral scruples” within yourself to get past the obscenity of it. That previous suggestion should be a dare.
Back to Mr. Douglas; his foundation of fact is as hollow and non-compelling as his labeling skills. He seems to box anyone who desires peace as a socialist, communist, neo-communist or anarchist. As a side note, I felt the blight of his spelling and grammar errors to be “giggle” worthy. Of course, the most laughable part of the piece is the very last sentence when he states that he’ll “take these nihilists more seriously when they start burning Obama in effigy.” I took it upon myself to look up the definition of an effigy;
“effigy: n., pl. –gies.- a statue or other image; often a crude representation (for hanging or burning) of a despised person” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1995 p139).
Hmmmm, I sense some violent extremism here. But, please, breathe in my opinion with skepticism. After all, I am gay and some would say that my “un-natural, peace-loving” self is in league with “the Anti-Christ.” Oh, and I don’t shave either. Does this make me a smelly, pot-smoking slacker? I will let you decide and then the rest of the country can vote on it on my–unequal–behalf.
It was only a few short weeks ago that thousands of conservatives gathered together to protest the bill (still in a neonate stage) for healthcare reformation. Some of the protesters who attended bore signs of hatred and racism which apparently were acceptable to the others present at the rally. I wonder; how long into the day did these angry protesters exercise their right to appear racist and unreasonable until a fellow conservative turned to them to say “dude, the swastika…so not cool.” Does anyone know how many of the people at this, mostly, conservative rally were arrested? I ask with sincerity as I have found only conflicting information.
Mr. Douglas describes the protest in extended detail when he refers to the people as “modern day Leninists” and “neo-communists.” I suppose some of them might be offended by these comments; however, others might be flattered by the suggestion of such a label. Our system is so old and fractured that many of us get little, if anything, from it. What is wrong with pondering other options? Why are we so quick to assume that those who seek a change in the system do not love their country? What if they love it more than those who are unwilling to budge? I have heard from a couple people from socialist countries who declare socialism is working out rather well and that the system here, in their opinion, is way behind. I cannot speak further about socialism as I lack the credentials, but I do feel that the poor in America are just getting poorer and most of the rich…well, you know the saying…are becoming greedier and less compassionate.
My partner is a sustainable designer who is currently working on a house for two people. The house is 3,500 square feet, including two toilets and two showers in their main bathroom, as well as a bathroom specifically for washing the dogs. It has very little ability to actually become a “green” house with all the material and space being used. My partner is in pain every time she looks at the blueprints, and considers in those moments changing her career once she can afford to do so. While Mr. X and Mrs. X. are pre-occupied with creating their ostentatious dream house, people from Katrina are homeless and running out of support from the government and the general population of society. Poor women, without a family and with no ability to support a child seeded by a rapist, are watching their rights being tossed around by society’s elite. To choose a healthy future for themselves (body, mind and emotions) is not really their choice anymore. And this dude wants to bash some people who just want some !@#%*$! peace! Our focus should be directed towards building a safer, more peaceful and inclusive way to live. Instead, we put our money and our rage towards physically and verbally violent outbursts (often against our own neighbors) which only perpetuates this very power-hungry, non-sustainable way of existing.
On that note, I will give Douglas’s pontificating paragraphs a tid-bit of credit. It is, in my opinion, not the most productive way to exercise one’s rights by dressing up and displaying strongly opinionated signs and performances. A person is bound to cross another’s political “line” using this method of expression. Although, I cannot dismiss the idea that “following orders” might not be a valid “excuse” for the Nazi’s who were present at Nuremburg. I do not have enough background information to extend anymore knowledge on this subject to my readers. But, you know what they say when you are in a war; “It’s either kill or be killed,” either by the enemy or by your own higher-ranking officers. That’s why I feel that people should try to avoid joining a military force in the first place, if they can. Too much energy and resource is spent in the endeavor of war. We need to balance it out with some amount of peace.
I found Mr. Douglas’s commentary to be whimsically hypocritical and very narrow-minded. His writing style and views are clearly intended for the right-leaning extremists of society. Again, another politically opinionated individual functioning from fear and driven by the anger germinated within that fear. I could find little credibility on this man, except that it is his blog and someone has created an opposing blog called American Nihilist in retaliation of Douglas’s blog. I found this commentary equally entertaining with quite a bit of dirty language in here, too, just of a different sort. In some ways this blog is less dirty than Mr. D’s, but you need to dig deep (and I mean DEEP) into the “pool of moral scruples” within yourself to get past the obscenity of it. That previous suggestion should be a dare.
Back to Mr. Douglas; his foundation of fact is as hollow and non-compelling as his labeling skills. He seems to box anyone who desires peace as a socialist, communist, neo-communist or anarchist. As a side note, I felt the blight of his spelling and grammar errors to be “giggle” worthy. Of course, the most laughable part of the piece is the very last sentence when he states that he’ll “take these nihilists more seriously when they start burning Obama in effigy.” I took it upon myself to look up the definition of an effigy;
“effigy: n., pl. –gies.- a statue or other image; often a crude representation (for hanging or burning) of a despised person” (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1995 p139).
Hmmmm, I sense some violent extremism here. But, please, breathe in my opinion with skepticism. After all, I am gay and some would say that my “un-natural, peace-loving” self is in league with “the Anti-Christ.” Oh, and I don’t shave either. Does this make me a smelly, pot-smoking slacker? I will let you decide and then the rest of the country can vote on it on my–unequal–behalf.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Debt
From the Austin American Statesman “Commentary” page, “Special Contributor” John Young remarks: “…anybody should be concerned — OK, alarmed to the point of hair loss — by the deficits facing this nation.” But don’t be fooled by his seeming conservative lean, he has a lot to say about the damages done by former president Bush’s “reign” and his “favoring of the 5% minions.”
Published on September 22nd, “Young: Nation keeps spending as if cost doesn’t matter” may appear like it is packed full of emotional gusto, but there are many solid facts in Young’s witty, yet crass argument. The most poignant statement in his article is that ex-president Bush ran up the deficit just as high as President Obama may. The only difference is that Bush used close to $900 billion on a war. This war is now exhausting our resources (people, money, tolerance and more money). President Obama will be using our $900 billion to give back to our nearly broken country.
I could not find anything out about the author, John Young, except that he writes in the “commentary” section of the Austin American Statesman regularly. I did a little research about the deficit due to our recent “warring” in
Young appears to be reaching out to the more liberal-minded of
This commentary obviously fits well into the title of “commentary”. I think that Young needs a few more facts from more reliable resources. There are plenty reliable sources and they have recorded similar numbers as the sites Young retrieved his information from, so there’s no excuse. The number “$900 billion” seems to be the golden one everyone is talking about, though there are other “numbers” less spoken of which are just as shocking and important to know of, both in the “Bush years” and now with our current president. Young’s opinion seems to me to be most valuable for entertainment purposes, but also for passionately engaging others of like mind. Well, since it is geared to those who want to reform health-care (i.e. me and the rest of the middle and lower classes) it may also be entertaining and ego-feeding for them, I admit. But some things just can’t be denied, or some numbers: $900,000,000.
Monday, September 7, 2009
That Pesky Gay Thing...
The article I chose from The New York Times twangs a personal string, which is why I chose it. This piece speaks about a, mainly, religious organization called "The National Organization for Marriage." This group has fought other state legislatures and courts that passed a bill allowing gay couples to be married. Having success in
I truly enjoy the general brush-off Christopher Rants gives the issue. As if gay marriage is not a priority at all, just a minor annoyance for him. The other aspect I find fascinating is that gay marriage and other personal identity topics are made a public opinion and that the intimate lives of people are held under a microscope and judged by the nation and often the world populous. People of hierarchy get to decide whether or not those being acutely observed are "good"-in their generally non-gay, non-transgendered, "normal" opinions. It's too easy to compare much of the anti-gay mind-sets to those of earlier prejudices of our nation’s ancestors. Once upon a time, many Americans believed black people were "marked by the devil" and were a tool of Satan's ruse to destroy humanity in some demonic fashion. Henceforth, black people were only worth anything as slaves. We still backslide into out-dated beliefs to justify slandering and repressing gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people (and other categories of the repressed) who work hard in the country. Many of whom strive for what Americans would view as a "normal" life.
I always feel deeply saddened when I discover groups like this that are actually spreading a message of hate in a country that, I always assumed, was founded on an urge to escape such hatred from it's tyrannical king, George the III. Didn't are ancestors once seek equality and recognition for such inborn rights?
That there are people like Brad Clark and Camilla Taylor striving for my equal rights makes me believe that I might one day be safe in my own country. That I might, one day, be able to marry the woman I love and have it be recognized as love--nothing less-- has me pondering remaining in the country for a while. Perhaps I’ll even speak out one day for people like me. People who are, after all, people too.
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