A Dose of Perspective, a Political Rant and a Hug

I teach online and a new semester just started up. One of my students is a 34-year-old single mother of four, including twins, and she is about to be a grandmother. So she has four kids, she works full time and she is finishing her degree. There are times when I feel so overwhelmed and tired and woe-is-me and then I hear about someone like that who has much more going on than I do and feel so petty (and inspired).

Speaking of petty, these days I am not that happy with Barack Obama and that leaves me feeling a little politically lost. I am tired of his political locutions and his change ideology, which doesn’t seem much like change at all. Part of me doesn’t want to vote for him, but the alternative is worse. I can’t believe it has come down to choosing the lesser of two evils again. Well, maybe that is a slight exaggeration but let’s just say I’m really feeling the fringe candidates. Mr. Kucinich, where are you when I need you?

I am aligned with many of Obama’s viewpoints, but I can’t reconcile his take on gay marriage with my own belief system. He has stated for the record that he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. Well, he has also said that his marriage is between him, his wife and God. So much for separation of church and state. I’m not so much into having a third party in my relationship, unless it’s Ben and Jerry. They have proven to be excellent companions.

Obama has stated that he would not support a constitutional amendment condoning gay marriage. His excuse is that this is something historically left in the hands of the state. And state control of marriage has gone SO well, so why mess with a good thing? (I am being sarcastic).

What really pissed me off as when he pulled out that old chestnut of how he thinks a gay couple should have rights like being able to visit each other in a hospital. Is that the go-to example for politicians? I am so sick of that example. Maybe it has been my own experience but I have found hospitals and hospital staff to be caring and accommodating. Nicole has been able to be at my bedside for every field trip to the hospital I have made. In terms of her being able to make life support decisions, well, that is a scary thought. I guess I should be scared, especially since she has talked about upping my life insurance coverage. But hospital visits are really at the bottom of the list of The Rights I Want To Have, because hopefully I won’t need to exercise those much. And we have a health care proxy anyway.

But all of his rhetoric makes me think that he is pandering to the lowest common denominator, the people who hate gays and think we should burn at the stake. Like he is trying to mollify them. Newsflash, Obama, those people won’t vote for you anyway because they think you are lesser of a person because of your African American heritage.

Says Obama: "Giving them a set of basic rights would allow them to experience their relationship and live their lives in a way that doesn't cause discrimination. I think it is the right balance to strike in this society." Sorry, but that’s a bunch of bullshit. A set of basic rights? That’s it? I can’t upgrade to the Deluxe package? I would love to hear how Obama explain this to, say, his little girls. Strip away the BS ad rhetoric and he too would sound like a hypocritical, homophobic buffoon.

And I get that my views aren’t the only views in life. But this is about equal rights, and when it comes to that, I feel like things should be stripped down to the basics. I should be denied equality JUST because my partner is the same sex as me? Really? Insisting that gay marriage will tear at the fabric of our society is just ridiculous. Society is being strangled more by Xboxes and cell phones and Constant Communication and the Pussycat Dolls than by this whole gay thing. Bottom line: A murderous prisoner has more rights than I do.

And on that fun note…a video of Avery giving her first hug! Turn the volume down unless you want to subject yourself to us cooing and awing. And please watch Maddie, who acts like she is just tolerating this onslaught of hugs! Also pictured, my little readers.