Monday, August 18, 2008

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.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

that footage is so cute, i joined in the cooing and awing!

here in australia the federal government keeps trying to stop the states from "meddling" with marriage.

GIsen said...

At this point I wish the election was over.I've discussed it over and over point by point.Gotten angry at the rabid Hillary supporters who live to demonize Obama and thus have decided to either not vote *WHOA* are vote for McShame,McNasty,McSame to be vindictive.

Gay women are doing this mind you:( The lack of rational ,logical thought permeating the internet from these women has made me hate women,period.[but I still like to sleep with them though:P] How dare we behave just like men say we do. Emotionally ship wrecked ,because the "media" was mysogynistic toward Hillary.Which they were.

Now it's off with his[all men] nuts!

There seems to be an inability to look at the big picture.Since when has the gay community been this close to having someone in the White House that is gay friendly.Of course Obama can't just throw a house party and invite us all. He would alienate that part of the population that he needs to actually when this damn thing.

And why can't we focus on the three seats in the house that we need? The three seats we need filled with gay friendly chaps who can pass the laws we need to get those equal rights we bitch about.

Humph! The whole damn thing just turns me into "the angry lesbian",so I'll stay off the subject until November.When Obama wins!

**The girlies are growing like weeds:)

Anonymous said...

I agree with you about Obama. He has become a big disappointment in his pandering. I feel like we liberals need someone with great big balls, just like the Right, and that we need a candidate who would just say, "look, I'm FOR gay marriage, FOR a woman's right, FOR stem cell research, FOR upping taxes and all the rest of it, so you can just suck it if you don't like it!!!" Um, sorry to be so vulgar, but I feel like the Dems repeatedly lose these elections because they are such freaking wimps. People these days want direct answers, not intellectuals paragraphs-worth of info. Maybe that means our country is full of morons, but let's call a spade a spade and try to win the freaking election for once. And yes, you absolutely SHOULD have the f-ing deluxe package. What a bunch of bs.

Landlady of Fat said...

"Mr. Kucinich, where are you when I need you?"

Amen!!!!

I agree about Obama. He'll get my vote because I have no choice but I think he's just as full of sh!t as anyone else.

Hey, I take classes online! I was considering teaching online -- would you mind emailing me so I can ask you some questions?? tinacious.com@gmail.com

p.s. the girls ARE GORGEOUS!!! :)

Kerry Lynn said...

Both choices scare the crap out of me.

Kerry Lynn said...

oh duh! Forgot to comment on the girls. SO cute.
Mine kissed eachother on the lips for the first time today (pictures on blog). I almost died from cuteness!

Lynnbug said...

I hate when the elections come down to the lesser of two evils. I am just tired of the whole thing because nothing is going to change very quickly for anyone.

I believe if you are in equal rights for all. That is how it should be.

The children are beautiful as usual.

Jess said...

Amen!!! I couldn't have said it better myself. The man drives me CRAZY....of course so does the other choice.

CD and SP said...

my favorite part is definitely when Avery knocks Maddie down. classic!

Jen said...

I agree with you about Obama -- and at the same time want to say if you ever needed hospital visitation rights and didn't have them, DAMN would you want them. My partner's mom has been hospitalized twice on an emergency basis in the past 7 years and both times her partner has been treated like shit - abandoned in the waiting room, prevented from getting any info, and not allowed to see her partner. This happened in Michigan, but it could happen anywhere. Luckily, she's been ok both times, but the fundraising letters I get from lots of queer organizations are full of stories of much worse - in places you'd expect, like Florida, and those you wouldn't, like DC (gulp!). No, it's not top of my list (some of the financial pieces are because the queer tax is taking its toll on our strained budget) but it is very important.