brass ovaries

How Big is Your Gitmo?

2007-05-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

What is the horseshit being bantied about "if we leave Iraq, they'll follow us here."?

They have access to Mapquest...or maybe that's why. I get so freakin' lost using Mapquest!

But really, weren't they already here? Doncha think they made a map of how to get back?

Listening to the blathering of talking points from the R's recent debate made me long for a round of telephone game. At least by the time we got to one end of the republican line-up of loser s we would have had a different statement being made.

But seriously, after the viagra-induced ball scratching shout-out to bullies everywhere, Romney should have been answered by Huckabee with the school yard taunt of, "No! Infinity." as he hikes up his Barney Fife pants finishing, "If I were President, that's how big my Gitmo would be!"

So now we really should ask, "Just how big is your gitmo?"

Things To Watch For

2007-04-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

We get routinely swept up by new and shiny events and often we forget to follow up, or insist that we get information on past news.

Time was when investigative journalism meant that there was an investigation with reports issued periodically as the investigation progressed.

But we seem to be short on investigation these days and long on opine. Opinions are easy, they have little weight and can be rolled out quickly for parties and other festive gatherings. You can be deluded by an opinion, carried off by the phrasing or alliteration and like chinese food, you get your fill but soon you are hungry again.

Investigation is very filling, but like a multi course meal, it takes time for the whole thing to be rolled out and in between courses, it may cause thought and speculation of the listeners and god knows "we just don't have time for all that."

We have the attention span of gnats and below-board leaders like it that way.

Case in point:

What about the Anthrax? A woman whose husband was killed by anthrax is suing the government, because nothing further has been done. Questions this should provoke are: Why? Who would benefit from a non-investigation? What have they found so far? Lawsuits are being filed by those caught in the inertia of this investigation.

Foreign countries gave money to help us with costs for Katrina. Was that money used? Where did it go? Where is it? Who benefits from not using it? Forgot about this? Well don't hold your breath, but it would seem that the hibernating bear that has been our media might be waking up on this.

Maybe.

And finally, though certainly not a definitive finale, Mark Foley...? Is he still in rehab? Has anyone come forward? Been paid off? Why wasn't he arrested? If he'd been on MSNBC's "Catch-a-Perv" he'd have grass stains on his slacks and cuffs around his wrists immediately upon viewing.

Speaking of hibernating media, ice water was thrown on them this past week by the one and only Bill Moyers. Bill, a Texan (of course) and oddly, a Methodist minister, is one of the most reputable, articulate, thorough investigative journalists we have left. If you've not seen his report on "Buying the War", it is a must watch. Moyers is our Murrow. I feel much better now that he came out of retirement.

Like running a marathon, perhaps we should all train for longer attention and not let these issues elude us. What else have we forgotten in the face of this trumped up war and smoke and mirrors administration?

My guess is that the one thing we've been conned on is the idea that we are at war to defend ourselves yada yada yada.

Is it not possible the war and all its trimmings are the ruse for the powers of the President to be increased- for the balance of power to shift to the executive branch as dominant in our government. Think it through...take time. Wouldn't that make more sense-as nothing else quite does?

Sometimes You Just Need to Listen

2007-04-15T09:25:00.001-07:00

BLOG AGAINST THEOCRACY

2007-04-08T08:13:00.000-07:00

On this, for some, hallowed day, there is a mounting swell of support to keep the separation of church and state. Blue Gal has started a ruckus I am more than happy to support! Also check out the fine folks over at First Freedom First.

For too long and by far too many people, there has been an actual call for a theocratic state here in the US. I think in other rational times this would be called rebellion. When you have politicians calling for it I believe the actual word is treason.

For too long we have been in a halcyon stupor, too obsessed with staying afloat in a turbulent economy and too scandal weary to care. But this is exactly when it happens. Like a magician's trick we are being distracted by one hand while the other is actually pulling off the ruse.

If this treason takes place we deserve it. If we cannot care enough to defend our rights, we do not need them. What we do not take care of will crumble. What we dismiss will overtake us.

So in honor of this day, I ask for a resurrection of not the Right, but what is right.

Why do we need the separation of church and state?

Well, let's see:
Religion, when state sanctioned, creates a superior class or group of people. Why is this bad? Because it establishes a position of domination over others. Why is this bad? Because not one of us should be in dominion over others as we all are capable of corruption, abuse, and deceit. Dominion implies scarcity and that means that at some point it is inevitable Might will be seen as right.

Then it encourages, nay, institutionalizes hate for those who are different. It makes heretical any thought or consideration of change.

How much more powerful it is to say I choose to act beneficially on my and your behalf than to say some mythological construct I believe in says to-otherwise suffering some to-be-determined penalities.

And in the end who's to say just who is right?

Fundamnmentalism

2007-03-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

Fundamentalisms will especially thrive wherever there is violent conflict, and wherever there is stark poverty, simply because these religiously absolute movements promise meaning where there is no meaning. For all these reasons, fundamentalisms are everywhere. See article here

Assent to Dominance

2007-03-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am struck this week by the volume of "news" crap this week. And a good deal of it centers around the age-old premise that women are weak, women are frightening and anything of woman is just oh so very wrong.

Case in point: Ann Coulter calls John Edwards a faggot. He is also referred to as the Breck Girl and Limbaugh asked who would design Edwards' inaugural gown. It is touted already, if elected, he will be the first woman president. The latter was seen as a good thing, based on his stance for women's issues. But doncha know that'll be spun to south in criticism of him?

Oh yeah and the other media message is Hillary is not woman enough. Oy!

The students in Cross River New York, (girl students) said the word "vagina" during a reading of Eve Ensler's "My Short Skirt" from Vagina Monologues." “My short skirt is a liberation flag in the women’s army. I declare these streets, any streets, my vagina’s country.”

Now the students were told or asked not to say the word vagina. But they did, and now they are in trouble. But here is my question: If anyone reads Eve Ensler's work, who the hell thinks the word "vagina" is not going to come up? I mean its like asking someone to read The Raven, but not utter "nevermore"!

Either the administration was stupid, and I mean dumb as a Sam's Warehouse size box of rocks, to think they could ask precocious teen-age girls to skip the one crucial word and basis of AN ENTIRE SHOW AND INDUSTRY, or the students were set up to be cogs in someone's agenda. Maybe it was their own agenda! If so, and by the report that it is right, then hail the young women for scissoring through the emperor's linguistic clothes to reveal this foolishness!

As to John Edwards, he has been called a faggot this week. Of course this is meant to cast him as a weak, passive, feminine, penis-less being. He has been called "too pretty". He was referred to as the "breck girl" by women journalists. Not a man but heaven forfend, a woman-like-man.

And all of this in light of it being Women's History Month.

I could go on about wage disparity, though California is seeing progress in a shrinking gap between wages of men and women. There are more women in leadership of countries, too. But rape is the highest conveyor of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. 3 out of 4 women in parts of Liberia have been raped. 75%, folks.

Equality is still a goal. Peace is but a dream.

But from where does perception this come? Where do men and women get that women are weaker: women are lessor?

You know, it doesn't really matter where it comes from. I could cite reams of data, historical evidence and theory to get to the origins of this nonsense, but it almost doesn't matter.

What does matter is that women have a responsibility for carrying it forward. For whatever religious, societal, or legal reasons this conditioning and consequence is perpetuated, without fullout resistance, we convey assent.

We get all happy and burn bras, stop shaving, bend genders and say we hold up half the sky. But we act as though we are not doing it together. Where is the consolidation among women to stop the violence and the disavowal that women are less than? We can say we are powerless, that society and religion has made us such, but if we do not resist enmasse we might as well give up.

But this goes beyond just women. When we talk of a dominant class or structure, all but the dominant are assenting. Case in point: When the construct deigned the african american community votes for an existing powerbase which does not speak to their concerns, but does so BECAUSE they have not assumed their own power and must hold the coattails of someone else's, this is what assent to dominance means. When women vote for men who do not speak to equality, they assent to dominance. When black students who make a 3.4 and above GPA are shunned and have on average only 2 friends, the community assents to dominance. When urban public school students do not assert their needs and insist on a good education, this is assent to dominance. When women do not even ask for fair wages, this is assent to dominance. When we say someone talks black or talks white, we assent to dominance.

We buy into the idea that we are powerless, therefore all that is left is assent. For if we have no power we can't even give consent.

Right now, the dominate structure has us so convinced of our lessthanness, our power isn't even in the same zip code!

We have bought into the idea that we are less than, we are weak, we are evil, we must not tempt, we must not resist. We are our own worst enemy.

It's All About THE GAY

2007-02-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

Quite a while back I was talking with a few people about what the Telebangelists were after with regards to THE GAY. See Michigan and Kentucky domestic partnership rulings and legislation.

What I said then and what I see more evidence of today is this:

First they will define us and our relationships (DOMA etc)
Next they will attack where we can work (this is being subtlely done by limiting where we want to work thru passage of bills to prevent partnership benies and all that)
Next they will attack where we live (again by making rules against our existence they will limit where we live, too) But look for neighborhood exclusion laws, mortage restrictions, property ownership and draconian code enforcements (limits on unmarried people co-habitating in a single family dwelling)

With this momentum they will actually limit types of places where we can work. What is left?

But what if we are still here?

EX-Gay movements rooted in Telebangelists dogma, psycho babble to effect our affect, they count on most folks not being curious enough to question the misquoted or contrived stats or too bleary-eyed to battle ideas slimed in circular logic.

But why, you may ask?

Well here it is in a wingnut's shell:

Its all about salvation. If all your eggs of faith are in one basket (society), then not one of the tenets (eggs) can be removed without the whole basket coming into question. They all rest on one another. And remember its about salvation. If your belief is that salvation is achievable only one way and that salvation is possible, given a belief that there is something one must be saved from- dust or devil, then everything you do must be hinged on that belief. Or else it is dust or devilment for you.

We count heavily on bad being punished and good being rewarded. In this way of thinking it is the only way of making sense. Since some bad folks do not get punished here, they are to be punished somewhere. This keeps our current society in check, or so it is thought. There is this notion that if a punishment is not looming for bad deeds then nothing will keep one from committing said bad deeds. Society goes headlong into the abyss, Fidel comes sailing over the Rio Grande, we are on the way to absolute rack and ruin and we never are saved from ourselves.

So anyone cited in the texts (which are translated, altered and edited for whosever purpose it served at the time) as wrong doers, any acts cited as damnable, those must be held as true as nothing can be in question. If they are, in the end, it is all questionable and then salvation is not the end result for good folks and afterlife punishment does not capture those who slipped through the legal cracks on Earth. And if you're not Christian, you are far more likely to comiit evil because you do hold fast to the tenets. We are told a previous push to save folks from being evil and doing evil was the Crusade to the Middle East. Hmm might be again, but this time around, the Crusade here is all about THE GAY.

There are the passages in the Bible known as the Clobber Passages. Verses and chapters detailed against behaviors now viewed as GAY, but oddly enough not stated as being gay in original transcripts. Those pesky translators...No word existed in ancient times for what we now call GAY. Must not have been very important if it wasn't named, right? But I digress. These verses now cited, are the means by which Telebangelists legislate to limit and ultimately eliminate us.

So let's recap: Gay= Bad. Straight and Christian=Good. Bad= damnation Good=salvation

The Telebangelists have to be victorious. A loss means utter damnation experienced now and for eternity. For the faithful are the victors. If they do not win now they most certainly lose everything forever.

There is no swaying them from their death grip on the basket, folks. There is no intellectual victory to be won here. We are either here and they lose forever or we are not here and they win forever. Imagine what Telebangelists would do if they were ever proven wrong, or asked to change. Remember EVERYTHING is resting on their salvation. There is no room for any other thought or belief. There cannot be. Its absolute.

As for me, anyone else hot in here?

(hattip: Pam's House Blend )

Forward! To The Past!

2007-02-19T08:50:00.000-08:00

I cannot help but feel a serious case of whiplash as I read the news this morning. Here I thought we were moving toward another age of enlightenment where advanced science gains acceptance, where women are FINALLY respected and in leadership positions in the US and where we were pretty much done with flat earth drivel.

But then, I read:
Faith trumps intelligence as a leadership quality
McCain is preaching abstinence and a complete reversal of Roe v. Wade
The Anglican Church is pondering a unification with the Catholic Church from whence they came. If this happens, what will the UK do in support of a state church and should there not be a HUGE apology to Ireland?
Some folks are STILL catapulting propaganda about EARTH BEING STATIONARY and THE CENTER OF ALL THINGS
Oh yeah and the jews are behind Evolution and it's evil
90 minutes of CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Anna Nicole Smith's unremarkable death and circumstances ( really was anyone surprised?)
Britney shaves her head (unremarkable) but her locks garner over $1 million on Ebay! Unbelievably shallow of us, no?

Quick, Marty, Back to the Future!

Raping for Jesus

2007-02-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

Haters without a new target loitering in a inbox near you...

These poor hatin' wayward souls believe they possess the genetic beauty and perfection that deserves to be passed on. The conduit for passing this perfection is also gifted. They seem to possess superhuman-magical- cure-everything-that-ails-you penises. And while invoking God they spew on and on. Raping for Jesus 's sake.

Below are samples of emails sent to the great people who were working for John Edwards' Campaign. For those who missed it, Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon and Melissa McEwen of Shakespeare's Sister (both excellent bloggers) were working for the campaign to manage the netroots and technology. Well, Donohue of Catholic League spewed a bit o'hate saying they were anti-catholic and bigoted (he should know) based on their statements in their own respective blogs. There was talk about the Edwards campaign letting them go. That did not happen. But they did resign this week, but only after this evil came their way in waves:

From Pandagon 's email

YOU RACIST WHORE. FAT UGLY BITCH. SUCK MY LONG COCK ASSHOLE I HOPE YOU KIDS NEVER LIVE AND YOUR PARENTS DIE A TRAGIC DEATH YOU ASSHOLE BITCH!
I HOPE YOUR WOMB IS BARREN AND YOUR CAREER PLUMMETS TO HELL YOU BITCH

Andy Driggers from Dallas, TX was also so moved by my criticisms of religious anti-choicers, that he wrote:

But I shan’t belabor the point. I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the hate mail the Bill Donohue’s “Christian” campaign against me has inspired. This is all stuff from days ago—I’ve gotten more than 100 since. Hell, from the looks of my email from last night, I’ve had more than 100 in the past 12 hours from self-proclaimed Christians who want me to know that I have hurt their feelings and this has nothing, nothing whatsoever to do with their own misogyny and tendency to witch hunt.

From Melissa: There will be some who clamor to claim victory for my resignation, but I caution them that in doing so, they are tacitly accepting responsibility for those who have deluged my blog and my inbox with vitriol and veiled threats. It is not right-wing bloggers, nor people like Bill Donohue or Bill O'Reilly, who prompted nor deserve credit for my resignation, no matter how much they want it, but individuals who used public criticisms of me as an excuse to unleash frightening ugliness, the likes of which anyone with a modicum of respect for responsible discourse would denounce without hesitation.

This is a win for no one.

Indeed it was not.

We Can't Keep Up With Our Stuff

2007-02-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

So the wife brought up an interesting point. How is it we can "conclusively" identify that bombs and weapons are from Iraq when we can't find the TONS of weapons we lost over there? How is it we know more about other people's stuff than we do our own?

And by the way, has anyone else wondered if any of the bombings and such our troops and the citizens of Iraq endure were aided by those TONS of weapons we lost a while back?

And another thing....where are the stories of Iraqi refugees???

You've Been Surged!

2007-02-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

A new reality talent competition for all neo-cons and media cons who have urged for a surge!
No immunity, no passes for difficulty!
Come One Come All to Iraq and watch the hawkish darlings get picked off one by one as we say to them,

"You've Been Surged!"

This week's Competitors will be:
William "I never met a fascist policy I didn't like" Kristol -the man who sees no wrong in Neo-conservative thought

Dick "He ain't got what they call da social skills"Cheney-Water boy for Neo-Conservatives.

Ann "I wasn't lying when I was lying about where I live" Coulter- the cheerleader for every Bill, Dick and Rummy

Rush "Cigars remind me of little island boys" Limbaugh-the smoke to neo-con mirrors

and last but not least....

Heather "Maybe I shoulda worked for equal marriage" Poe

Not Another Iraq

2007-02-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

From the LA Times:

WASHINGTON — Bush administration officials acknowledged Friday that they had yet to compile evidence strong enough to back up publicly their claims that Iran is fomenting violence against U.S. troops in Iraq.

Administration officials have long complained that Iran was supplying Shiite Muslim militants with lethal explosives and other materiel used to kill U.S. military personnel. But despite several pledges to make the evidence public, the administration has twice postponed the release — most recently, a briefing by military officials scheduled for last Tuesday in Baghdad.

"The truth is, quite frankly, we thought the briefing overstated, and we sent it back to get it narrowed and focused on the facts," national security advisor Stephen J. Hadley said Friday.

The acknowledgment comes amid shifting administration messages on Iran. After several weeks of saber rattling that included a stiff warning by President Bush and the dispatch of two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Persian Gulf, near Iran, the administration has insisted in recent days that it does not want to escalate tensions or to invade Iran.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates seemed to concede Friday that U.S. officials can't say for sure whether the Iranian government is involved in assisting the attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq.

"I don't know that we know the answer to that question," Gates said.

More here

Lost and Far From Found

2007-02-03T13:36:00.001-08:00

Lost recently- Molly Ivins. A fave quote: "The reason religion and policy make such a bad mix is that religion brings the dread element of certitude into what needs to be a constant process of questioning." Molly Ivins Dec 06
I choose to be in a bad mood over this loss. Very few people have written well enough to make me laugh, wince and tisk all in the same article. The din of complacency is louder without her.

Molly is why I ask questions. Which has led me this week to what I think has got to be an obvious question among about 100 others: what privacy of Mary Cheney and her gestating spawn?

Should she have privacy? Yes, absolutely. But she has created or at least help ALOT to keep her pregnancy a matter of civil discourse. In fact I am sure that her pregnancy, juxtaposed with her efforts prior, will charge the batteries of some-dead legislation to ban single women from having children: single is spelled L-E-S-B-I-A-N. Cuz it jus tain't natchrul.

I hope she pays attention to all the states rights loving states out there who supported her daddy and his puppet. Because in some of those states if she were to get sick and Heather "herlesbianpartner" Poe were left to make decisions- even so much as decide to put the child in a car and take it home- she might not be able to. Infact, by law in some of those fine states, their extrastepswetaketoprotectourlovedonescuzwedon'thavetherights legal parenting documents would be null AND void. Meaning, ol'Heather "herlesbianpartner" Poe would just be another Joe with no say and no way. But then if Darth Daddy comes to the rescue or folks choose not to follow the law then is it not simply a case of some Poe's are more equal than others?

As for Mary's child and act of childbearing not being political- Mary, you have only aided and abetted gay pregnancy to be political. You cannot have rights and not work for them...let alone against them.
How much kool-aid does one have to drink to not see the personal and greater damage fighting against your own rights has? Does it come in flavors, pill form, or in a patch? It certainly has caused inflammation and poor judgement.

It's Not the Water, But The Tofu!

2006-12-13T09:16:00.000-08:00

OHMIGOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is just far too much for one person to enjoy! Soy is making kids gay. Not soy sauce though, because of fermentation, but look out for milk and tofu! OHMIGOD!!!!!!!!!

This tops the story of the US trading mangos for nuke tech. Well, no, it doesn't. The fruit for nukes trade has statements in reality and compounding implications. But thanks to the poor credibility of World Net Daily, they can actually float this kind of nonsense and have Bubba with his WebTV actually believe this!
Like Bubba even eats tofu!

But really is this not just a hidden slam against all those who eat tofu? The idea that someone might not eat something that at one time bled really puts the teeth of middle America on edge. It ain't Amurican, I'll tell you. It hurts the economy, it puts folks outta work and makes folks soft. And then make a small step to the right and you can hear the idea that those who eat tofu are just linin' up with all those we fought in dubya dubya two...AHA! They lost, we'll be reminded. Lost to those who eat meat even raw..oh wait...they eat raw meat too...sushi...but red meat...not fish...fish doesn't count. Can't count it as meat if those papists can eat it on meatless Fridays.

There, middle Amurican values saved once again.

If it bleeds it leads! Tofu make you a loser ergo it makes you gay! Ah the logic is sublime...

In truth, there are some studies out there, studies in the early stages that do link tofu to low sperm counts- maybe due to genistein found in soya and tofu. But it is not the presence of sperm (read testosterone) that makes one gay or not. Its more than that. Just as it is more than that which determines all sexual orientations and genders.

I really wish folks would just give up on this chase of causality for gayness.

In the meantime, meateaters who are gay, wave your hands about madly and ask for seconds.

Mangos and Mary

2006-12-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

So in the midst of being totally frustrated at the news reporting last night two bits did seep through the mire of opinion and bloviation last night.

1. We have deemed it wise, optimal even to trade Nuclear Technologies with India in exchange for Mangos. Mangos people. Anyone just hanckering for a mango? I mean is this a commodity we should be aware of and stashing away? Can we do more with a mango than say, plutonium? Is it a renewable resource for energy that we have overlooked?

2. Mary Cheney, who did nothing apparent, save contribute a whole $1000 to the Virginia's marriage ban fight, did nothing to stop the R's from villifying us during the last Prez election, reports that she is now preggers.

I suppose her comfort is all the money she has to stave off any legal challenge to her right to parenting.

I wish her well, but hope she was also inseminated with a sense of involvement, too.

I'm off to eat a mango and dream of equality...

Where Do We Go From Here

2006-12-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

It has been almost a month since my last post. Excuses range from election exhaustion to too much real world stuff to manage.

But since last post, I have had the privilege of speaking to a number of college classes regarding race and gender discrimination. Normally I talk on lgbt issues, so I found it a bit odd to be addressing race and gender in a broader sense. Odd, because I am a white female of middle class origins from a metropolitan southern suburb and really, what do I know of race issues and from my experience what do I really know of gender bias?

But on the other hand it is not odd. Race and gender discrimination are rampant in the lgbt community just as they are in the at-large communities. And as a white woman I can speak to other whites and say we are not done, though I also can speak to the fact that it is not our burden alone. I can also speak to the gender bias which is thick in our community. But not only in a way one would expect. There is a minority, but strong ideal of separitism in the lesbian community- very anti-male or XY chromosome. I frankly find it limiting, counterproductive, and highly discriminatory. Indeed women hold up half the sky...but only half.

There, I said it.

I have experienced far more racism for being white now living in the north than I ever experienced living in the southwest and that was a good bit as well. Is this a complaint, no. Do I stretch my experience and say that I can relate to others who feel persistent race bias? No, absolutely not. What I experienced is mine and cannot be weighed against anyone else's. That would be arrogance maxed out. I am white and living in a white dominant society. The advantages of that to date can not be erased or negated.

As to gender bias, I have expereinced it once, overtly. Other incidences may have also occured, but they were so subtle, they passed beyond my recognition.

Nevertheless, I have given the isms thought and enter the fray for discussion.

My best friend happens to be a woman of color and soon after our friendship began I remember her commenting on "entitlement": that I moved about as though entitled. She attributed that to race and privilege. I hadn't given it any thought but once pointed out, I determined that it wasn't out of race or even gender, but personal entitlement that I did these things. I still believe that. I believe that if anyone else can have, or get, or access, then I should be able too, as well. Though on occasion I have used white and/or gender entitlement when advocating or helping someone and recognized I was doing it for that purpose. It was my own anecdotal social experiment.

I, one day, suggested that there was no reason she should not also use entitlement. If I believed it was not borne of race or gender, then she should be able to, right?

I think the idea that someone else is entitled directly places one in the position of have-not. The idea that some country-club system allows for this to happen and that only members can exercise the right is an acceptance of being a have not and seeing others as the have's. This is a stance from limits and lack. For this to continue, those on either side, the have's and the have not's must remain where they are and maintain this belief.

But it just may be only that- a belief.

If we look at entitlement as a self-accessible advantage then we stand in abundance. That anyone can be entitled. That entitlement to having needs met, getting service, having access can be expected to occur.

My friend, a few months ago stated that she got it. But what it took was someone thought to be of the entitlement country club to give her permission or rather enlightenment.

A pretty, white, slim, accomplished straight woman who she greatly admires, told her she just needed get over it and act entitled or she was not going to get where she needed to be in her career. In essence she was given "permission" to act on what she wanted all along. This woman said the light is better out here and my friend walked out from Plato's cave.

It was as though the light burst forth from the clouds for my friend. Someone viewed as part of an upper echeolon of those entitled gave her the key. This freed her up to access what she wanted from beyond a barrier of gender and race as never before.

Now, I have used the words "permission" and "gave" which continue to reinforce that entitlement is a club and that a secret handshake or knowing the right person is how to rank-in. But its not. Those words were used to convey how this story came about, but not how it has to be or is, really.

The "get it" part of this is that one can. One can access what one wants. Will it change everything immediately, no, of course not. But will it begin to shift what we all experience and expect, yes, most definitely.

Holding an expectation of having needs met, having access and getting service is all about intention. And intention is action. It is seen and palpable. It is not awarded or bestowed nor is it limited.

For much of a woman's historical memory-conditioning and subsequent brain adaptation has shackled us from thinking and acting this way. Women often do not start at salaries as high as men because men ask, women do not. Men risk being told no and move on. Women, broadly stated, fear rejection and do not risk as often. Particularly for themselves. Ask a woman to risk for her child and she will be indomitable. Ask a woman to risk solely for herself and hesitation is the first answer. Men act on entitlement, women do not. Men assume they have power and stand in it. Women assume they do not have power and leave it for someone else to use. Whose paradigm is most beneficial to us all?

Intention says we will push to stand in discomfort, to admit when we hold to and operate from old beliefs and stereotypes, to stretch ourselves into risks, charting new territory getting beyond the already always way of being we have created for ourselves.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Do one thing every day that scares you."

Where do we go from here?

Amendment E Update and A Rebuttal

2006-11-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

I received an interesting comment to my previous post on South Dakota's Amendment E. Apparently the sponsor of the bill was not in agreement with me. As I am against this amendment, I am not surprised, yet as Bubba of the Plains makes it clear, my arguments were supported.

Here is Bill Stegmeier's post:

Bill Stegmeier said...: So your cockles are cozy. How 'bout your "brass ovaries"?

You say "An amendment is not what is needed nor advisable to correct bad actions. Legislation, yes."

The purpose of Amendment E is the to hold judges accountable for misconduct in the course of their proceedings. If we had put this forth as legislation it could easily be re-legislated "from the bench" by a single judge! Yes, if was deemed unconstitutional. Judges do not pass legislation or even re-legislate. They measure laws and actions versus the constitution. What does not match up gets judged as such. It is up to the legisltors and law enforcement to enforce. At times in our history that has not happened; which supports the point that judges do not legislate.

In roughly paragraph seven you say "Beyond that what happens here is that judges are now no longer able to deliberate with immunity." Yes, because that is what it does. The Amendment is so poorly written that folks will be able to sue without burden. The amendment, as I stated previously, instructs jurors to favor the plaintiff from the beginning. Favortism is not justice. It will influence how a judge proceeds therefore how he/she deliberates.

You appear to be implying that Amendment E has something to do with a judge's final decision. It does not. It has everything to do with how the judge conducts his proceeding on the way to his final decision. And this DOES NOT influence the decision process? The steps to the decision do not influence the end result? Are you nuts? Re-read section 2. It says "Immunity. No immunity shall extend to any judge of this State for any deliberate violation of law, fraud or conspiracy, intentional violation of due process of law, deliberate disregard of material facts, judicial acts without jurisdiction, blocking of a lawful conclusion of a case, or any deliberate violation of the Constitutions of South Dakota or the United States, notwithstanding Common Law, or any other contrary statute." But the South Dakota Constitution already has means to combat judicial misconduct. Its called the appeal process and liberally, all citizens of South Dakota can access the Supreme Court to have their case heard. There also is the Judicial Qualifications Commission and last but not least ELECTIONS!

It's how the judge conducts his proceedings, not his final decision. Again, I say

In roughly paragraph ten you say "The people have no business having power over the courts." Yup and especially you, Bill. I wish this had been alot of energy toward an issue you and those in your state need help with. But by your own acknowledgement this amendment isn't based on evidence of need. Its precient in a way, right? You looked into your crystal 8 ball and saw that this was not evidenced yet but might be, so lets amend the constitution for something that might happen sometime?

If not the people, who? The King? Well you sexist devil, you. It could be a Queen. It is the process which has power over the judges. Please avail yourself the information out there on how the judicial process works. And Bill, it does work, even in your state, which again, leads me to ask 'why the hell this is being done anyway?'

You're and elitist, aren't you? Jeez Bill, you say that like its supposed to hurt. The only people I've ever hear use that term negatively were sadly ill-educated, righteous in their ignorance and afraid of the smart people.

Bill Stegmeier
Sponsor of Amendment E

There's Just Not Enough Windex

2006-11-06T08:29:00.000-08:00

Glass houses must need alot of Windex, yet this week proved there's just not enough in this world to keep the neocons' and evangelicals' side-by-side clean.

The Foley investigation will yield far more mud than we'll have paper towels to clean it up with.

The war in Iraq will be the worst military decision in the history of mankind and this includes trumping Hannibal's elephant brigade dying in the Italian Alps.

The Repubs will lose the House, possibly the Senate and alot of states races, too.

And another Evangelical TopDog has been found lighting his wick at both ends.

Oh and in case you missed this-No longer fish out of water but water out of fish in 42 years.

Suing The Toga Off Justice

2006-10-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, we will all be waiting with baited breath for the outcome of the mid-term election. But what most have missed in all the flurry of blue candidates, cantankerous pundits, erroneous negative ads, bad state amendments and many regressive tax increases is Amendment E in South Dakota.

In short, Amendment E will give South Dakotans the right to sue judges for misconduct.

While many questions over this might arise allow me to point out one reason the advocates for this Amendment feel it is necessary. They say it is because the current rules and regulations and oversight of judges is not working.

This is where I get rabidly libertarian.

An amendment is not what is needed nor advisble to correct bad actions. Legislation, yes. Correction of authority of boards of oversight, yes. But not a sweeping amendment voted on by Bubba of the Plains. This requires thought, experience and expertise most of which Bubba does not have the inclination to acquire.

We are beyond slippery slopes here. We are in a basket and no idea we are headed south. This trend of amending the constitution to enforce pedestrian views is wrong. Its fraught with majority bias and threatens the basis of the Constitution. And though we purportedly live in a democracy (its really a republic) what happens when Bubba develops and votes on constitutional issues is that anyone with a minority opinion gets trampled by might is right and there is no thought that EVERYONE at some point is in a minority and will need protection. But on to this crap amendment.

At the website for this amendment, they have an FAQ. And though there are questions posed there that ask things such as "will this amendment allow people to sue school boards and banks et al" the amendment supporters say no, that the language is clearly intended for judges only. However, it opens to the door for this to happen. Beyond that what happens here is that judges are now no longer able to deliberate with immunity. That immunity is allowed at all may stick in your craw a bit, but the reason for it is that in order for a judge to apply the law and the constitution to a particular case, often they do have to step outside of what Bubba wants. But it is the judicial process and its procedure that allows Bubba fairness when he needs it not just when he agrees with it.

Stephanie Simon of the LA times writes, "Under the amendment judges in the state could lose their jobs or assets if citizens disliked how they sentenced a criminal, resolved a business dispute or settled a divorce. 'We want to give power back to the people,' said Jake Hanes, a spokesman for the measure.

"A special grand jury would evaluate citizen complaints against judges — and judges would not be presumed innocent. Amendment E explicitly instructs jurors to 'liberally' tilt in favor of any citizen with a grievance, and 'not to be swayed by artful presentation by the judge.'"

I wonder if Jake Hanes ever read the Lottery? The people have no business having power over the courts. We are not as a mob fair and just.

Putting aside the obvious derailing of what the founding fathers envisioned for our judicial process and why, the far-reaching sticky thing about this amendment is that once amendments are established there are cases to try it for interpretation and precedent.

Also of concern with radical actions like this are the questions that they pose and yet there are no answers to. For example: How much malfeasance occurs in the courts of SD? What evidence is there that there is need for this amendment? What other actions could take place to correct what is seen as wrong? What do the current oversight mechanisms need to do a better job? Is a better job actually needed? What laws could be put in place to help avoid or correct judicial wrongs? (I thought appeals were in order) Are any needed? What are the stories, the numbers? In light of the number of cases heard what is the percentage of misconduct? Are they being committed by some of the same judges? Cannot those judges be removed?

Another point to be made here is that its really hard to get legislators to agree on anything, let alone unanimously, but by golly this Amendment has. All the SD leges are against it! All of them! That must say something!

Lady Justice has a sword for a reason.

Oh and as a closing note, this amendment is named the J.A.I.L. Amendment for the Judicial Accountability Initiative Law. My cockles are just cozy over it.

Another good link for info: Point of Law

Here is the amendment

Sailor Moon Live Action

2006-10-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hattip to my buddy Tim at timtimmytimothy
Sailor Moon has a live-action 2 season version. Its so bad its good, says Tim. Watch at youtube. Double click on the above screen and rate it at youtube..or er...GooTube., as it could be known:)

RRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIICCCCCCCHHHHH

2006-10-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

You knew it was bound to happen. Never doubt the creativity and dark humor of our dear Amuricans. Now available and at the latest bid of $228 your very own Mark Foley Action Figure. I thought the palm pilot was a nice touch...as it were.

Fantasy Congress?

2006-10-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

NO not that type of fantasy but a real honest to goodness fantasy where you pick candidates and members of Congress. FANTASTIC STUFF for the geeks we are!

CLICK HERE

Harcourt/Brace and Kevlar

2006-10-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

From Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:
It's the new hit country duo, Books and Shields!

This hillbilly, Republican Bill Crozier, a candidate for state superintendent of Oklahoma schools, has suggested that students use textbooks to block gunshots. He seems to have done a bit o' testing of his theory himself. Dubious am I that he tried all caliber of weapon on English Composition for Juniors, he did have possession of an AK47 and those shots fired did blast through the textbooks. Not satisfied that his theory was disproved, no, he then proceeds to get a Glock...then...

oh for god's sake

WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING ON ABOUT HERE? AMURICAH and the NRA, YOU GOTTA BE PROUD! WE'VE GOT A GUY RUNNING FOR A STATEWIDE OFFICE SAYING THAT THE BEST IDEA HE'S EVER HAD WAS THIS!? THAT THIS IS THE SOLUTION TO THE VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS!

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE IDIOCY AFOOT! HE THOUGHT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA HE PUT THE WHOLE TEST ON VIDEO. IT'S ON TEE VEE NOW and THIS BOOB IS ON YOUTUBE, TOO! THERE ARE MOVING PICTURES OF THIS YAYHOO HOLDING AN AK47 AND SHOOTING TEXTBOOKS. YOU MIGHT ASK ABOUT THE WITNESSES, AND I LAUGH INSANELY, BUT OF COURSE, THERE WERE LITTLE KIDS AROUND! WE'RE TALKING THE WEST, HERE. MEN, GUNS AND THE BOYS WHO TAKE THEM TO SCHOOL. MANLY MEN WITH A MANLY SMELL.

ONE GUY WITH BILLY WAS LOADING THE AK47 AND DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ALREADY A ROUND IN THE CHAMBER, AT LEAST NOT UNTIL IT SHOT OFF! THIS, TOO, IS ON THE TAPE! HELLO? EDITING?

HAVE WE LOST OUR COLLECTIVE MINDS? IS THIS THE BEST CANDIDATE THE R's CAN FIELD TO RUN FOR STATEWIDE OFFICE OVER SCHOOLS? IS THIS THE REPUBLICAN WHO CARES FOR KIDS?

OH NEVER MIND THE R's IN THIS! IS THIS THE BEST WE CAN OFFER FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN? OHMIGOD!

LIFT OFF AND NUKE IT FOR MORBID, FOLKS!

But lucky for those students in Oklahoma Sandy Garrett is running for RE-ELECTION. She is apparently the only woman in Oklahoma history to hold state wide office and the only woman to be re-elected 4 times. Oklahoma needs help if this is the case, but at least she understands that before bullets fly and books are used as shields, students need to be safe to learn. Education is prevention.

I'm just wondering what politically savvy Einstein sat with this yokel, heard his idea, scratched himself and said "Yup, Billy, that there idear is an E-lection winner." Read here for Your tax dollars at work!

and of course, go watch it here

Out Of Africa- adopting the future away

2006-10-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

One has to wonder if this latest adoption of a child of Africa is signaling a trend and if so, what is it?

Is it the trend to recognize the need to put money where mouth is?
Does it portend that babies can be for sale?
Like Edie to Saffie's mixed race baby, is it a fashion accessory?
And why do the children beome absorbed into the parent's culture and not a reversal? Why not adopt a child of another nationality, but move to his or her homeland instead?

Comments?

3 Squares and a Cot

2006-10-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

Under what conditions would you steal?

To feed your child, yes. To get medication for a loved one, yes.

But what if you had been laid off and could not find a job? Would you steal in order to be arrested so at least for 3 years you could have a roof over your head until you qualified for Soc Sec?

Well, at Barbara Ehrenreich's blog, she tells of just that:

"Talk about a cry for help: Timothy J. Bowers robbed a Columbus OH bank of $80, handed the money over to a security guard, and waited for the police to come and arrest him. In court on October 11, he pleaded guilty and told the judge that he would like a three-year sentence – just enough time to get him to the age of eligibility for Social Security benefits. The judge graciously obliged, demonstrating compassionate conservativism at its warm-hearted best."

See the rest here.

What? Me worry? Nah, conservative policies work just dandy!

Thought For The Day

2006-10-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

When you pander your policies to a group in order to remain, or achieve power, you've already lost. This recent confession and broadcast of the conservatives distaste for the telebangelists, should be no surprise, but the telebangels have been the mother's milk for the Repubs. And if Momma ain't happy, then nobody is happy. Or as the saying goes, you gotta dance with the one that brung you.

The Repubs will fall and in pissing off the telebangels have created the impetus for a third conservative party, which could be seen as a shoe-in victory for the Dems...but never underestimate the power of theocratic fevor. Halliburton is building jails here in Amurica with no one to occupy them...currently.

There is no democracy in any religion. So religion all up in a democracy will not bode well.

I suppose we should parse what religion actually is. If you use the definition including "use of recognized practices and observances" that is where the religions and denominations declare distinctions intransgressable.

Distinctions from sprinkling to dunking; dietary laws to deaconship; personal revelation versus membership from moment of conception; intercessory prayer and forgiveness versus personal relationship; wine versus grape juice; high holy days or any day; Sabbath honor or shopping sales; speaking in tongues or just merely wagging them in gossip; robes or suits; men and/or women pastors; stoles or lapel pins; these will be the wedges of discrimination.

This is not about a big tent for all to come together. This is not about gathering in the fellowship hall for casseroles ad nauseum, this is about the cutting out of a large place for only those who know the secret handshake and then it will be only for those who have power to change the secret handshake.

This is not about rights but restriction. This is not about helping but harming. This is not about agape but animosity. This is not about Christianity but Corruption.

Coming Out Day Eve

2006-10-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

This evening as I prepare my gayest clothes (read rainbow everything)for tomorrow's annual coming out day here in the U.S of A., I am mindful of why we must come out- because others cannot.

Sweden and Holland are reconsidering deporting Iranian LGBT refugees. If deported they will be killed. Its the law.

LGBT Iraqi's live in fear and warranted fear of the jihad to kill them all.

Poland has a new President, Prime Minister and boss of the conservative Catholic Party and they're all homo haters.

Russian nationalist protesters attacked lgbt activists.

Beltway Republicans live in fear as well.

And in the rest of the U.S. of A. many more cannot but, because those of us have and do come out this is what happens:

States that include sexual orientation in their hate crime laws:
AZ, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MN, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, OR, RI, TN, VT, WA, WI

States with no Marriage Ban:
NM, WY, WI, NY, RI, CN, NJ, DE, MD

States with approved LGBT marriage:
MA

States that allow LGBT joint-parent adoption:
CA, MA, NJ, NM, NY, OH, VT, WA, WI, and the D.C.

States with Non-Discrimination protections:
CA, CT, the D.C., HI, IL, MA, ME, MD, MN, NE, NM, NY, RI, VT, WA, WI

Proven Results.

Until we are a force to be reckoned with we will never make the gains we want.
We must push, we must shout, we must come out.

Emergency Contraception and the murderers

2006-10-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting post by Biting Beaver. More than interesting it clearly cites the issues we Amuricans parse hypocritically about life and its value. The language in the Beaver's post is stark and angry, but nevertheless thoughtful and poignant. The death threats she has received over this are disturbing and wildly hypocritical. Many would argue that she too is hypocritical...but that depends on definition of life and the rights of the female.

And that my friends is the crux of the argument. The rights of the female. Read on. And while you're at it check out Ms. Magazine, too.

44 Subpoenas

2006-10-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

I'm just sayin'.

Texans, Assholes, and Molly

2006-10-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

All Beach and No Ocean

2006-10-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

Global Warming...2100 C.E. 1/3rd of all earth in drought. Desert. No food. No water. No chance of either. And its all in developing countries. Developing countries whose resource developed countries rather enjoy exploiting. Sand. Lots and lots of sand covering up those resources we so value and exploit developing countries for.

Maybe when the actuaries get around to calculating the cost of extracting said resources from beneath the billions upon billions of acres of beach or the sheer impossibility of it, the industrialists will turn their attentions to conservation.

Nah.

Lots of money being put into independent research for life off-world. Wonder who funds this or that?

The Women's group has a great rundown of national and international involvements here

To Catch a Predator

2006-10-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

Arrest him already! Foley, has been caught up to his elbow in the cookie jar and yet unlike the men of "To Catch a Predator" on NBC's Dateline, he has yet to be arrested.

Justice is merely a goal here in the good ol' US.

I miss George Allen...wonder what he has said lately?

As Frosh, Foley Was Trouble

2006-10-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

"In 1995, male House pages were warned to steer clear of a freshman Republican from Florida, who was already learning the names of the teenagers, dashing off notes, letters and e-mails to them, and asking them to join him for ice cream, according to a former page." See Washington Post article in full here

Earlier Posts:
Close Your Eyes and No One Will See You

3 Party System

2006-10-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

If World Net Daily's fuming over this latest sting to moral muscle is any indication, I think we should easily anticipate a third party emerging. I can't say as I blame them. We need three parties maybe more and we need a parliamentary system, I think. But a party of religious zealots? Shiver me timbers!

What will the name be? GOP is already taken. Moral Majority won't fly, it's passe. Feel free to offer names.

Babes in Gunland

2006-10-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Nah, we don't have a problem in our schools. Gay baiting is not an issue at all. Besides it's what kids do. Right? Nope not at all. A young boy in Wisconsin recently shot and killed his principle. What I heard on National Public Radio this morning is that the child was repeatedly gay-bashed, called fag and faggot, and when he reported this to the principle, nothing was done. My guess is that he suffered a bit more from school mates, too.

So the kid shot him. Once in the head, then chest and then leg. The man died of his injuries.

Bashing happens consistently, pervasively. And seldom is anything done about it. In all the school shootings perpetrated by students the most common thread was gay-bashing. Whether the child shooters are gay is beside the point. What is the point is that child on child and teacher on child gay-baiting has to stop.

Children are dying for it to stop.

Rolling Back the Clock of Progress

2006-10-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

This week past week saw assaults on our constitution that may be irreparable. From the Public Expression of Religion Act to the recent Pro-Torture bill, our constitution is weakened and due process is a thing of the past.

Since the Magna Carta, the Writ of Habeas Corpus has stood the test. When the King was able to throw anyone into the gaol without due cause, Habeas Corpus was the call from the bench. "Show me the body." In other words, present the accused and let us hear the body of evidence.

Detainees, for whatever cause, should have their day in court. Why, you may ask? Because we could be wrong about why they are there. We do not have to be right, by the way, without the Writ. There will be no proof, no hearing, no evidence needed without the Writ as a standard. It is what makes justice possible. It is what holds us accountable to one another. It is what makes us a just a free society. But it is no longer untainted. Once compromised, it can be again. If anything justifies the weakening of it, then anything can from here on out.

Now, want to sue someone for a constitutional infringement of your beliefs? Well be prepared to pay. No more, or at least alot fewer, cases will be taken on contingency. The Public Expression of Religion Act, which passed the House this week, says that if a plaintiff wins a case, the attorneys can no longer sue the losing defendant for fees.

If your rights are impeded, I hope you are rich. The poor or rather, the 80% rest of us, will merely have our rights trounced upon with little to no support to fight back.

Oh yeah and in case this slipped by you, we legislated ourselves the right to torture. The media has been concentrating on the technique of waterboarding like it was the only abhorrent means of torture, like maybe beating, holding stones over your head for hours at a time, starving, light and sensory deprivation, drugs, electric shock, are not worth mentioning. What we have done here is try to define, measure or otherwise quantify pain and punishment. One degree less than whatever causes severe mental pain and long term suffering is not torture.

And to whit, just how do you teach the recognition of that degree to folks who generally do not have education in biology, anatomy, psychology, and who in the moment of exacting of this punishment are likely to not care anyway?

It is perhaps worth noting that we discuss and debate torture as an impact on the tortured without EVER considering the box of demons we unlock for those who do our bidding.

Torture is not a deterrant. It is not a construct and those at either end are not merely agents of that construct. Torture happens to all in the room.

It is you and me abusing each other, rendering us broken, disabling and killing one another.

Close Your Eyes and No One Will See You

2006-10-02T10:54:00.001-07:00

Well with all the hubbub about Congressman Foley and the "overfriendly" emails to pages who were minors I thought it best to post a link to a very good book on how to I.D. a pedophile.

This idea that covering up this kind of thing will work has got to be one of the bigger d'uhs of our time. Actually, the thought that one can get away with anything outside the law is insanity in action.

As for an explanation for why the Congress hid this, it would seem to be the Administration's practice. In April of 2006 Brian Doyle, an appointee to Department of Homeland Security, was arrested. He had been caught soliciting a 14 year old female online. But the 14 year old actually was an undercover cop. In September, he pleaded no contest and though he could have served life for 23 felony charges he now only faces up to 5 years in a Florida prison but possibly on probation for years after and must register as a sexual offender. He's 55.

At his age, how long has this been going on? The internet chats were graphic and he stated he had a alot to lose. The reality is that he already lost it years before when this started and did not seek help then. The same will probably be said for Congressman Foley. It is alleged that this had been going at least since 2001. This is when other Congressional members knew about it. But chances are others knew even earlier.

Shoes on other feet

2006-10-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

If the shoe was on the other foot...

To argue with an idealogue is mostly time wasted. Fact has little effect on a true believer, no matter what constitutes that belief. For if fact were needed for belief, then no belief would remain. If belief were all we needed then fact would not be sought. Belief is the opposite of fact and visa versa.

But for those who have been seeking a response to the ludicrous and poor "studies" (read beliefs) classed as the Homosexual Agenda, Box Turtle has the answer.

Here is the link to the pdf

Worth a read.

Who's Gonna Clean Up This Mess?

2006-10-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Well this certainly has been an exciting week. A bit over a month till the election and damned if the sins of yore and the skeletons of predeliction haven't shown the party of morality to be the swiss cheese of hypocrisy.

We've got sexual predation, good ol' white sheet rascism mixed with who's your momma really, and catastrophic incompetence. Why it's the trifecta of hubris! ding ding ding! We have a winnah!

Folks, the nation's leadership is so Tom to their own Jerry that all we have to do is sit back and play violins.

But despite the mild joy of watching those corrupted by their own absolutism, there is a lingering, niggling concern.

What is the plan to rebuild? What will the Dems do when there is nothing but skidmarks from the constitutional backpeddling?

I totally get the idea of waiting till the R's eat themselves in frustration over this collapse, but is there a plan to roll out? Is there consensus? Is there any leadership?

Who is the voice of reason? Who is the visionary? And are they here now?

Who will step into the void and lead us to where we as a nation should be?

The passing of a great human being

2006-09-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday America lost a great lady, great policitian, a great human being.

I am from Texas and for me there was no greater symbol of smart and compassion than Ann Richards. She spoke to truth, she took no prisoners.

I remember vividly her campaign for governor against Clayton Williams. Claytie, as he was known, was the biggest mysogynist asshole of a bubba to ever seek office and that is saying much for Texas. As an oil tycoon, he was of no worry to most Texans, but as a candidate he embarrassed the hell out of us. He was quoted as saying..."its like rape, you might as well lay back and enjoy it." He also commented on Ann's sobriety that in celebrating an occassion he hoped she didn't go out and get drunk.

The campaigns were oddly, but typical of Texas politics, neck and neck until one fateful night. Both candidates attended a publicized event and meeting in front of cameras and bright lights Ann politely extended her hand to Claytie. In Texas you do that. Hell even before a big boxing match, that is done. You shake the hand of your opponent. Claytie declined. Right there in front of God, the Alamo and in the shadow of empty Lone Star Beer bottles, and the media, Claytie did not act the gentleman. You could hear the collective gasp all across the state. And that is when he lost.

Ann rode into the capitol after that and we enjoyed fairness, a leveling of opportunity for women and minorities, corrections in guvmint excess. And she looked fantastic doing it.

She had a sign posted for her parking place that said "big hair parking only". She was fun, she was smart, and she brooked no nonsense.

She was my role model. Her passing concerns me. Texas, to my knowledge has no one to replace her. We have had a few great voices come from that state. Barbara Jordan, Bob Bullock, Ann Richards, and Molly Ivins. Molly is that last survivor and yet, she too has a relapse with Cancer. I hold dear that idea that she will conquer this bout too, but even if she does, hers is the last voice of reason our state has.

What did Texas do to weed out its smart, its compassion, its eye for fairness? How much oil is in the water that it clogged the heart of our legacy?

There are many many quotes out there about Ma Richards. But the one that most typifies her character is this one. Remembered by Molly Ivins in her book, "She can't Say That, Can She?":

"Several years ago there was a big political do at Scholz Beer Garten in Austin and everybody who was anybody in political Texas was there, meetin' and greetin' at a furious pace. About halfway through the evening, a little group of us got the tired feet and went to lean our butts against a table by the back wall of the Garten. Like birds in a row were perched Bob Bullock, the state comptroller; me; Charlie Miles, a black man who was then head of Bullock's personnel department (and the reason Bullock had such a good record on minority hiring); and Ms. Ann Richards.

Bullock, having been in Texas politics for thirty some-odd years, consequently knew every living sorry, no-account sumbitch who ever held office. A dreadful old racist judge from East Texas came up to him, "Bob, my boy, how are yew?" The two of them commenced to clap one another on the back and have a big greetin'.

"Judge," said Bullock. "I want you to meet my friends. This is Molly Ivins with the Texas Observer."

The judge peered up at me and said, "How yew, little lady?"

"This is Charles Miles, who heads my personnel department." Charlie stuck out his hand and the judge got an expression on his face as though he had just stepped into a fresh cowpie. It took him a long minute before he reached out, barely touched Charlie's hand and said, "How you, boy?" Then he turned with great relief to pretty, blue-eyed Ann Richards and said, "And who is this lovely lady?"

Ann beamed and said, "I am Mrs. Miles.""

Rest in Peace, Ma.

Jesu Coulter of Even Later Day Saints

2006-07-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier, I wrote of the harpie, Ann Coulter and her haranguing of all folks not like her. Well, it would seem that happily enough, folks have had just enough of her. And its just as well. For a mere lack of religious status, her church of Coulter is calling for a fatwa in the deaths of editors of NY Times, again. Again, I say.

In tribute I put together two images, that, if it gets cooler I will fix so that they are suitable for framing. For now, you get the idea.

Meanwhile we've got a figure head of a prez out in the world chewing and speaking with his mouth full of food, all the while referring to ages-old conflicts as "shit".

Anyone else embarrassed?

Latte Liberalism

2006-07-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

Pam over at the House Blend is sifting the grounds over at her site over Hillary Clinton's lack of support for SSM.

I respect Pam alot and this is not about her or her blog. But it is about our collective mistaken view. We think politicians should just get it. We think we are right, therefore we are due their support. By our very existence we are due.?

Ah a mislaid sense of entitlement!

Hillary does not come out for us because we are not a force to be reckoned with. We do get notice by Wallstreet because that is where we spend our money. We do get notice in some local municipalities because our economic impact is known and appreciated, but politically we are no where!

We shun the claim for an agenda. We have no plan.

WE ARE EXACTLY WHERE WE HAVE NOT PLANNED TO BE!

As for Hillary it might bear noting that she was a republican before she met Bill.

Also it bears noting that there is no stop to the wave of success to the telebangelists. Why would they? I think we can stop them, but with only .0008% equivalent of our vaction money spent on advocacy, it's going to more than a slog, its an impossibility. Cabo San Lucas vs Civil Rights? "Hmm, Honey, just where shall we go? Down the street to talk to our congressman or to P-town?"

We'd seemingly choose comfort over courage any day. First they take our right to legal recognition of commitment, then families, then where we work, followed by where we live. They take them and will take them because we do not fight for them. Our existence does not secure our rights.

And yet because we can still work and the majority of us will not have children and because the majority of us live just fine without state sanctioned relationships we plan where we will spend a few weeks relaxing.

Maybe we'll send a few dollars to NGLTF or a state equality organization. Why send more than what a couple of lattes are worth?

Equality Ohio got $300,000 dollars from us in memberships last year. That really is quite impressive given that Equality Ohio is only 1 year old. Lynne Bowman, EO's exec, is truly doing a fine job, has a plan and is on track.

But really, $300,000? EO needs about 5 mill to defeat the fundies and create positive legislation for us.

$300,000? When there are at least 1 million of us in Ohio? Oh me 0, Oh my-o poor little Ohio.

Yes, please tell me your reason for not giving money to advocacy? I'd love to hear it.

Update on Buffet/Gates Attacks

2006-07-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Fundies scared of ol' Warren's Money

This is ridiculous. If that money were spent to pollute and oppress, there would be ne'er a whimper.

This complaining is about denigration, repression, and rascism wrapped in the thin cloak of righteousness. It stinketh.

No Accounting for Taste

2006-07-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

This is wrong on so many levels. The World Overcomers Outreach Ministry paid $260,000 for this 72 foot tall edifice of really crappy taste. This will be seen by many as a good thing, sadly true. That the church certainly had the right to spend this kind of money on this kind of thing really cannot be argued. I get the intentions and the right to spend whatever you have on whatever you want, its just the enormity of the crassness.

But funny, there will be not near enough complaint over this as the windfall Gates' Foundation got last week. Now what amazed me was the number of fear-based concerns over what impact the Gates Foundation could have on issues and solutions. There was much talk by folks thinking the Ahmurikan public should have some say in where and how the money would be used. Isn't what happened the outcome, or an outcome, of a free market society? Make a "good" product, market the shit out of it and make gobs of money, then if you've got any sensibility left use your gotten gain to help others? Isn't this why we think tax breaks to businesses and owners will positively effect the folks at the bottom of the hill?

The big concern of course is what Gates Foundation actually spends its money on. The poor and the brown yearning to breathe-at all. Concern was even expressed that the foundation might turn its focus to include gay marriage. EGADS? What ever would we do if money were made available to advocate for liberty, end bigotry and eliminate bias in the law? WOW yeah, now that's dangerous.

NeoCons Dumb Like a Fox

2006-07-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

What if all this posturing and harumphing about the NYT, Washington Post and L.A. Times running the story about SWIFT is part of a larger plan to obfuscate the real reponsibility when another (assuming it will) terrorist act occurs here? What if Cheney et al are simply making the press the scapegoat preliminarily? If you already have been barraged by false info that a bad guy or a "source" for your woes has been found, then when something really does happen, its easy to blame the target and convince others of the same.

Two ways to grow a target. Who starts the ball rolling doesn't matter. If you're asleep at the wheel, you're the first to deny without an accusation. For example-The worst thing Nixon did to himself was to say he wasn't a crook. Until then Joe Citizen didn't think Nixon was necessarily. But he was the first to publicly say anything like that. So then Joe Citizen went about thinking, "why did he say that? who is saying he's a crook? has he done anything crooked?"

And Whamo- the public interest was on. (BTW, it was the fall of Nixon and subsequent congressional tamping of presidential authority that got the neocons flush with purpose and driven to be where they are today.)

But if you want things looked into, just call into question someone or something's integrity and lob baseless accusations. Alot of them. Make vague references, say things which are packed with ideology and little fact. Nothing like a fable to make a counter-argument feeble.

If NeoCon's goal is to increase the powers of the executive branch and exalt them over the other two branches (and it is), the free press has got to be reined in and ultimately squashed. It is what stands between the us and despotic rule.

The Neo Cons have seen to it that the stage is set. They are fussing about the news report this week of SWIFT when money-tracking by the government on those they suspect of damn-near-anything had been announced by same said government for months if not years before. True, maybe the exact source of SWIFT had not been disclosed, not sure, but it isn't like terrorists don't know they are being tracked through banks, emails, phone calls, mail, packages, ad nauseum. They are not stupid just fanatical.

Censorship is being asked for as a punishment for this news article. A Department of Censorship was demanded by a Congressman, a conservative radio show host said the Editor of NYTimes should be killed. There shouldn't even be room for folks to lob these kind of comments. Radio Host sponsored by multi billion corporations was not even rebuked by producer or sponsors for her comments. But report on fact and BLAM! you're unpatriotic. (no she shouldn't be jailed, but if the FCC can penalize for seeing Jackson's nipple...nuff said)

A Congressman who took an oath to uphold the constitution wants to break his oath and dismantle the constitution in one fell swoop.

Should another terrorist attack happen, the press will be summarily and once and for all completely vilifiled. Neo Cons will get that censorship office served to them on a silver platter by the people, and soon a two party system is gone along with checks and balances, rights and what we could have been.

One day, someone might write about this fall of democracy, but the book will probably be burned.

Good News and Better News

2006-06-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

Not sure I was prepared to post anything like this topic till near or after the fall election. I certainly hope this isn't just a respite from the onslaught of anti-family family values and further dilution of our constitution. Not quite ready to pop the cork on all this, but the bubbly is chilling just in case...

But, SCOTUS bitch slapped the white house and said they broke with Geneva Convention and cannot conduct military tribunals on the GITMO folks.

The Dems in Congress seemed to have found a line item in the budget to buy brass ovaries and they are rattling the cage the Republicans are putting us all in.

Rush Limbaugh has lied his way into a big hole...maybe that is why he needed viagra.

Bush can't get enough National Guards to protect the borders. Perhaps cloning is not such a bad idea after all?

Another Homeland security employee is under fraud charges and the Homeland's cyber guy's generous salary is questioned.

The Pentagon is being sued for not providing a wind study in timely fashion and Sierra Club is holding their feet to the fire over it.

Arkansas lost the case to forbidlgbt folks from fostering.

Jenna Bush is going to teach in Latin America. Ah yes we can send folks to Mars and Bush progeny to Latin America. Chances of her becoming a democrat? High, I think.

And PFLAG is ringing the closing bell on Wall Street today.

Not a bad week, if you ask me.

Rally of the timid

2006-06-18T12:45:00.000-07:00

Apparently, Mike Tidmus is rallying folks to protest the hangings of two gay men in Iran. This occured in July of '05 and received some attention , though exectedly not from the MSM. Another issue of restricting rights to religious text filters upon which our religious right agrees with their religious right.

Support goes to Mike and his efforts, and while I can appreciate the intent of rallying folks to bring attention to the hangings of the boys in Iran, I wonder if the effort is misdirected. Why are we not rallying folks to the hypocrisy of the Fatwa against our own people in IRAQ, where we are allegedly bringing democracy?

Despite the horrific nature of Iran's conduct, they are not out of integrity with the other policies they hold against women, free speech and the like. The 51st state, Iraq, however is, within the context of creating a democracy.

I wonder just when we will have enough of all of this? And I mean all of it. Just what PRIDE are we celebrating? Just what homage do we pay Stonewall?

See Democracy Now's interview with a gay Iraqi exile.

Dogs and Cats livin' in sin

2006-06-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

this week is only half over and ALREADY its been a week of comedic material, kidney punches, and unfullfilled wishes for thunderbolts to strike.

This week I certainly wish there was some sort of force that would get back into the business of smiting enemies of mine and thine.

On the one hand we have folks who limply offered up the Federal Marriage Amendment and for the life of me this anemic attempt should be a signal for something, but I say I cannot figure it out. I might not be stupid enough or devious enough. And you cannot fix stupid, I heard, so I will work on devious over the next few days.

Meanwhile the FMA failed to pass. But some folks on the hill got some great questions asked of them. (H/T to John at americablog)

But on to Anne Coulter. This is the one for whom lightening bolts should be deployed and in gross amounts. This woman should be struck down so hard that even her past is obliterated. I have, in the past, sat before my tubular-wonder translator of matter and watched her spew forth incredibly huge buckets of bilious untruths without any counter from anyone. But this week, she left me gobsmacked.

Gobsmacked, I'll tell you.

Clamoring for whatever klieg lighting she can get, this entity we know as Ann Coulter must be devoid of humanity. The fact that she can speak and read might indicate that she had human contact during childhood, but she must be the sister of Dr. Evil. Perhaps she is the one who shaved his scrotum.

Accusing the widows of 9/11 of profiting from their grief is beyond derision. Its the act of a guttersnipe.

Ann Coulter: a soul which cries for a heart in it.

Meanwhile, there were folks who thought that because Tuesday was June 6th of 2006, that Satan was spawning his anti-christ. Or that it had already been born and would rise to power, or that...WHATEVER.

Of course 6/6/06 does happen EVERY ONE HUNDRED YEARS.

So which 06 will it be...or is it 616 as has been reported? Or maybe it is that 666 represents the feminine and is numerically a translation of EVE as has been said.

WHATEVERx2

Suspend your beliefs that put men on the moon, discovered penicillin, and uncovered string theory but realize that chasing after heresy instead of producing goods and making discoveries will seriously effect the coffers.

AND TOOTHPASTE CAN MAKE YOU INVISIBLE, too.

WALMART MAKES US POORER

2006-06-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Finally the truth is out and measurable.
Hema Swaminathan of the International Center for Research on Women “found that an estimated 20,000 families nationwide have fallen below the official poverty line as a result of the chain’s expansion.”

More here

TRUTH WINS OUT

2006-06-01T20:42:00.000-07:00

Wayne Besen launches Truth Wins Out on June 7th at the National Press Club. To quote Besen, "Truth Wins Out will confront a dangerous lie that has buttressed anti-gay campaigns from coast to coast. From school boards to city councils to Congress, a lie is being advanced that sexual orientation is something that can be directed or 'cured. It's false, and Truth Wins Out will strike this pillar out from under anti-gay efforts."

Here Here! Where do we go to donate?

More info to come as I get it.

nuff said

2006-06-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

no, really it was 7 and a half pounds. Thiiiiis Big

Make it stop!

2006-06-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis is starring in the 4th franchise of Die Hard. It should be entitled Die Hard, But Please Just Die, Willya?

Batwoman of Lesbos

2006-05-31T16:41:00.001-07:00

well that's more like it.

Batgirl has grown into Batwoman and Batwoman is a lesbian no less. what I find intriguing is the thought of possible lesbian superpowers.

What exactly would those be, pray tell?

Comments are eagerly awaited...

32

2006-04-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

When Jesus hit 33 he died...George hit 32 today in the polls...

Tell me again just why we do not have a parliament? And just why can we not give him a vote of no confidence and be done with him???

BUSH HITS NEW LOW