What's your favorite kind of weather?
We've got a darkening sky here and the wind is picking up. The air coming through my office window smells like imminent rain, and it has the hint of electricity that generally precedes the arrival of a devilish storm.
I am inordinately fond of a bright sunny day, not hot, but a cool, crisp day of sunshine in the spring or fall, and I love padding around in socks on hardwood floors with wet and curling hair on a gray, drizzly Sunday afternoon after going out for tea, and I even frequently love the snow. But there's something about summer storms I find invigorating; the air before a storm fills my lungs deep like no other kind of weather.
Question of the Day
Silent Prayer
President Obama observed the National Day of Prayer today in much the same way as most of his predecessors did: he signed a proclamation. (I didn't even know that the NDP was today, but then, as a Quaker, every day is a day of prayer.)
That, of course, was not good enough for the Pharisees.
Conservative Christian leaders who popularized the event are regarding it at a snub, calling it a "boycott." ... During the Bush administration, the first Thursday in May -- the National Day of Prayer, as mandated by Congress -- included a ceremony in the White House East Room with prominent evangelicals. It was headed by Shirley Dobson, wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.Mr. Bush of course made a big deal out of the day because he is, what a pastor friend of mine called, a "loud pray-er;" one of those people who like to wear their holiness on their sleeve, and anything he could do to keep in the good graces of the Religious Right -- at least in public -- was part of the plan. So it's not surprising that they're now all worked up that Mr. Obama isn't being as obsequious to them as his predecessor.
There's no White House ceremony this year.
One prominent religious right activist, Concerned Women for America's Wendy Wright, said, "President Obama may have problems believing in the Christian faith, he should at least honor the traditions and foundation of our country."If I believed that there was such a place, I would hope that there is a special place in Hell for the smug and sanctimonious twits like Ms. Wright. First, the "traditions and foundations of our country" include separation of church and state. Second, to impugn Mr. Obama's faith for political gain is beneath contempt. (Then again, that is a skill the CWA excel at.)
The National Day of Prayer may be sanctioned by an act of Congress, but in the case of the Religious Right, I propose a National Day of Shut The Fuck Up.
HT to Steve.
Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.
American Mothers Hate American Children
That's the only possible explanation for this madness:
Comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her actress partner Portia de Rossi topped a poll that asked American moms which celebrities they would feel most comfortable leaving their kids with.Don't American moms know that gaybysitters will RECRUIT THEIR CHILDREN and TURN THEM GAY?! The radical gay agenda is WINNING, people!
DeGeneres and de Rossi, who married in August when same-sex marriages in California were briefly legalized but who have no children, beat Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt with their eclectic brood of six in the ParentDish.com poll of more than 10,000 moms.
The TV chat show host and de Rossi took 31 percent of votes.
*snicker*
(That sound you hear is 30 million wingnut heads exploding.)
I Write Letters
Dear Romantic Comedies,
Please consider me a secondary signatory on my colleague Ms. Snarker's letter.
Please also be advised that people of color, same-sex fanciers, trans and intersex people, people with disabilities, fat people, disfigured people, dwarves, people with speech impediments, poor people, socially awkward people, people with boring jobs, the hair-impaired, and people with visible scars also fall in love.
Thank you and have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Liss
QCoFM
Grumble
The thing that bothers me about all the stories in the mainstream media—like Time's "Republicans in the Wilderness: Is the Party Over?"—is that, when I read them, I don't feel like there's a lot of serious assessment of a failed ideology going on; I feel like I'm reading groundwork being laid to celebrate the awesomest comeback evar!
Daily Kitteh
Note the following:
1. Obvious interruption in playing with psychedelic string toy to initiate grooming process.
2. Precise securing of tail with right paw.
3. Ridiculously cute tongue working on those hind claws.
4. Laser-red demonesque eyes making it clear that any interruption of the process will be met with displeasure.
From the Mailbag
Shaker roro80 sends along this piece of important NOOZ, and quite rightly summarizes it as "a heart-warming tale from CNN about how even though the author is a 'man's man' and feels guilt for nothing (unlike the lady-creatures—oh, sorry 'puritan chumps'), he still lowers himself to enjoy lady-like pleasures. Which he definitely doesn't feel guilt about. Because guilt is for girls."
Shaker Francesca forwards the link to this post (may be NSFW) featuring some "edgy" (totally sexist) can packaging. I particularly like, ahem, the one with two spouts, as well as the design at the very bottom, which inventively makes two cans better than one! *headdesk*
Shaker Hayley sends this story (and I know someone else sent it as well, but I can't remember who it was; my apologies) about the Girl Guides of Canada introducing a new merit badge to promote positive body images. I love the badge and the idea behind it—although I'm not sure that equating, even indirectly, being fat with being a three-eyed alien ("There are different activities for each age group, with younger girls earning their badge by completing tasks such as creating a craft called an Awesome Alien. 'They create a funky alien that may have three eye balls or two right hands. It's about celebrating differences,' said [Rebecca Tye, girl program co-ordinator].) is a particularly great message.
Shaker Miranda sends this link, about German Chancellor Angela Merkel's image being used in an underwear advert, with the note: "As if being unnecessarily grabbed by Bush wasn't enough." Seriously.
Shaker Gnatalby forwards this indescribably awful story [trigger warning] with the note: "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this should be headlined 'Rape for Debt Payoff'." Indeed it should. But instead, it is of course headlined "Sex for Debt Payoff"—because everyone knows that "sex" for a woman is being "offered up as a prostitute [and] treated like a piece of property" by your boyfriend, who grants access to your sleeping body without your consent as payment to a man to whom he's indebted and then sits in a chair doing nothing while you scream in protest. Fucking hell.
Shaker Katie emails the unfortunate news that the Texas State Senate has approved a law that "would ask women seeking abortions to first have and view an ultrasound." They also passed a proposal to create a "Choose Life" license plate.
But, in good news from Texas, Shaker Abby emails this story about the University of Texas unveiling a statue of Barbara Jordan on campus last week. Says Abby: "Her statue is the first one of a woman on the campus. This is a result of a student-run initiative of the women's organization Orange Jackets. Teaspoons!" Woot!
Shaker Audrey forwards this story [trigger warning] of being All In, in which a male bus driver in Tokyo reported that his route was being used by a 73-year-old man to regularly molest a 14-year-old mentally disabled girl on his bus, and was told by the management of the bus company that he should consider "how he felt about not working for them anymore." Given the choice between allowing the girl to continue to be sexually assaulted and losing his job, the driver installed a video camera, captured the man in action, and turned the video over to police, resulting in the arrest of the perpetrator, who confessed to the crime and said: "I did it because I thought she wouldn't tell anyone about it," underlining the importance of the driver being All In.
Shaker knitmeapony sends a lovely little bit of teaspooning found in Chicago's Red Eye: "An article that's your bog-standard boring 'here's how to be in a committed relationship' sort of story. With one photograph—of a gay couple, looking perfectly banal. A gay couple. As a boring relationship, non-LGBTQI-focused story illustration. Presented without comment, without snarky language, without air quotes. Just a normal couple in their kitchen, talking about normal, boring relationship stuff. It's kept me grinning for half the morning."
And Shaker Siobhan emails: "Tolkien was RIGHT!"The extinct hominids commonly known as hobbits may have been small of body and brain, but their feet were exceptionally long, and they were flat.
Hee.
Button up. Your sexism is showing.
So now it's Sotomayor. According to Jeffrey Rosen, who spoke to some law clerk, she's not fit to be a judge on the Supreme Court because she has opinions, she expresses those opinions, she expresses those opinions forcefully and at length.
(Shows you how much I know about the law. I thought that was practically the description of the Supremes.)
Greenwald does one of his usual masterful takedowns, and adds a very interesting update at the end:
Jeffrey Rosen's brother-in-law is Neal Katyal, the current Deputy Solicitor General in the Obama administration. If Sotomayor's prospects are torpedoed, that could clear the way for one of the other leading candidates to be named to the Court: current Solicitor General Elena Kagan. The selection of Kagan (rather than Sotomayor) would almost certainly result in Rosen's brother-in-law (Katyal) becoming Solicitor General. Additionally, Katyal himself was once a clerk for a Second Circuit judge, obviously raising the question of whether he was one of the anonymous sources for his brother-in-law's hit piece disparaging Sotomayor's intellect and character.However, what's a boring potential conflict of interest? Let's talk about Sotomayor. She talks! She's forceful! How awful!
One can question whether this Rosen/Katyal relationship should have been disclosed by TNR (on balance, it was probably unnecessary), but at the very least, these are illustrative of the types of problems that inevitably arise when anonymous sources are used so casually in a political culture rife with incestuous relationships and conflicts of interest.
And apparently that's been enough to get the "keepers of conventional wisdom" (to use Greenwald's words) riled up about the potential horrors of affirmative action. "Good God. You can't waste such a vital job on some politically correct nonsense. The only criterion should be the best, um, person for the job. Why should a woman get it?"
As I said, button up. Your sexism is showing.
There isn't one shred of evidence that women have inferior mental capacity to men. (Insofar as there is evidence, it's actually on the other side. On average girls show earlier verbalization in infancy, better school grades, and higher test scores until, for some reason -- possibly they talk too much and they're too loud -- they hit the job world and start getting paid less and promoted less.) So, in a reality-based context it's safe to assume that women are at least the equals of men in ability. And yet the overwhelming preponderance of powerful positions are filled by men.
Yes, there's affirmative action. And, yes, it does lead to less competent people being given jobs that are beyond them. It's time to end that. We should find the best person for the job. Why should it be given to a man?
Obama and Teh Gayz Open Thread
As Gay Issues Arise, Obama is Pressed to Engage
In the words of David Mixner, a writer, gay activists are beginning to wonder, “How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?” Last weekend, Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues, published an opinion piece in The Washington Post headlined, “Where’s our fierce advocate?”The title of the article kind of irks me (my life isn't an "issue," thankyouverymuchkthx), and I dislike how people upset over Rick Warren are described as still "seething;" nothing like being made to look irrationally angry, right? The article also makes it seem as if queer people are the only people upset over Obama's treatment of "our" issues; somehow straight allies are always vanished in pieces like this.
The White House, aware of the discontent, invited leaders of some prominent gay rights organizations to meet Monday with top officials, including Jim Messina, Mr. Obama’s deputy chief of staff, to plot legislative strategy on the hate crimes bill as well as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Among those attending was Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, who said afterward that while the gay rights agenda might not be “unfolding exactly as we thought,” he was pleased.
“They have a vision,” Mr. Solmonese said. “They have a plan.”
While Mr. Obama has said he is “open to the possibility” that his views on same-sex marriage are misguided, he has offered no signal that he intends to change his position. And as he confronts that and other issues important to gay rights advocates, he faces an array of pressures and risks.
Still, Obama moving slowly on any issue important to LTBTQI folks is pretty much what I expected, so it's not like I'm suddenly all bent out of shape over it because of all the recent Homomentum. It's been there.
Discuss.
(By the way, the photo included with the story makes me want to puke. We won't just protest same-sex marriage, we'll rub it in your fucking face that we can do it any time, anywhere!)
Lost Open Thread
Last night's episode will be discussed in infinitesimal detail, so if you haven't seen it, and don't want any spoilers, move along...
Shaker Gourmet: Sweet Potato Bean Burritos
Our recipe this week comes from Shaker Ezekiel!
If you'd like to participate in Shaker Gourmet, email me (include your Shaker name!) at: shakergourmet (at) gmail.comSweet Potato Bean Burritos
Bean Mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Sweet Potato Mixture:
4 medium sweet potatoes, cooked
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce OR 2 jalapeños
1/4 c fresh cilantro
12 whole wheat tortillas
4 ounces shredded Mexican cheese
4-6 oz cheddar cheese to top burritos
DIRECTIONS
--Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
--Heat oil in a medium skillet, and sauté onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans and water, and heat until warm. Stir in the chili powder,cumin, and soy sauce. Let this bubble away while you get the sweet potatoes ready will cook for at least 15 minutes until water is reduced.
--Peel the potatoes (if you hadn’t done so already) and place them in a large bowl. Mash away. Chop up the chipotle peppers and add them to the potatoes. It’s good if some adobo sauce stays on them. Add the cilantro and combine it all together.
--Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the tortillas add cheese and roll the tortillas. Place them on a greased baking sheet.
--Top with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve,topped with salsa and/or sour cream.
Babies! Babies! Get'cher Babies Right Here!
by Shaker Siobhan, who is thrilled to contribute to her very favoritest blog.
Yesterday the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform approved a bill for paid parental leave for Federal Employees—4 weeks leave following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. This move means the US might just leave the company of Lesotho, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea (the only other countries in the world without parental leave for their government employees) and join the rest of the world. If it manages to pass the House and Senate.
The GOP, the same party that brought you welfare queens, homeless people who wanted to be homeless, and reproductive-choice activists teaching our toddlers how to have sex, are now offering us—wait for it—
Federal workers stocking up on babies to accumulate paid leave.
Yup, you heard me right.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has found the loophole in the law.Issa is concerned that federal employees could adopt children year after year after year, all the while collecting those four weeks of paid annual leave.
Because it's just so damn easy to have/find babies. They require so little investment, so little time and effort to care for, not to mention that having/obtaining them is a pain- and hassle-free process. Who WOULDN'T just grab themselves a new baby at every opportunity in exchange for a month off of work!
Workers "could have one adoption or one foster child per year, resulting in every year you get a new foster child, every year the husband and wife if they are both federal workers would take four weeks off with pay, because they have simply taken in a new foster child," he said before the vote.
Possibly the reason Republicans don't support paid family leave is because, without it, the wimmenz can't as easily come back to work after having/adopting babies—and, when they do come back, they might do crazy things like introduce Paid Federal Family Leave Bills, as did Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.):"I had a child when I worked for the state government, and I was terrified I'd be fired," Maloney said before the vote... "No federal employee who's a new parent should be forced to choose between their paycheck and their newborn -- or newly adopted -- child in those vital first few weeks home," Maloney said. "As the nation's largest employer, the federal government can -- and should -- lead the way on this issue."
Awesomely, the rest of the "protect family values" party besides Issa is silent:Republicans had nothing at all to say about the measure, leaving it to their leader to play the Scrooge who uses money as a hammer against the family value of mothers and fathers staying home with their newborns or newly adopted children.
Where, oh where is the GOP PR Machine of yesteryear? Maybe they would have prevented one of their "leaders" for coming out with this ridonkulousness during NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH. But Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) knows what month it is:"I would be delighted if federal workers or any other workers…adopted one of these children every year... As a matter of fact, I'd give them a Medal of Honor if every year they found that they could adopt another child, because there is a tremendous need for children to be adopted."
Hear hear. And if they do, they'll have a job to come back to.
DOS: Out
The distinguished actor David Ogden Stiers, best known to me (and probably most members of my generation and older) as the stuffy, fussy, brutally witty Charles Emerson Winchester III of the 4077 M*A*S*H unit, has quite casually come out of the closet:
In a recent interview, the Emmy-nominated actor, 66, told the Oklahoma City blog gossip-boy.com, "I am [gay]. Very proud to be so."Stiers says he didn't publicly come out sooner because he feared it might hurt his career, and although he says he hasn't personally "witnessed such things occurring in a long, long time," he notes:
"I should say in regards to this that many of my fears were in modern times self-invented. I've been working internally on whether they were the problem, or if I just continued using them as an excuse. … I enjoy working, and even though many have this idealistic belief that the entertainment industry and studios like Walt Disney are gay friendly," they weren't always, he said. "For the most part they are, but that doesn't mean for them that business does not come first. It's a matter of economics. ... A lot of my income has been derived from voicing Disney and family programming."Totally aside from whether discrimination still happens (because we know it does, especially for actors who aren't as well-established as Stiers), it's worth noting how discrimination lingers: Once that fear is in you, it stays. Bigotry is never a one-time tax; it reverberates for a very long time, and its targets pay the price for years to come.
Stiers explains why he's coming out now:
"I wish to spend my life's twilight being just who I am," he said. "I could claim noble reasons as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone, and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of extreme discretion with me."Love and peace to you, Mr. Stiers.
The Country's Best Days
OK, Shakers. Your challenge, inspired by this post of Liss', is as follows...
Fill in the blank to come up with the most hilarous variant you can for this formula:
"If _____ { event portrayed as a reason for breathless pearl-clutching } _____, then the country's best days are behind us."
Radio Shakesville Update (Harry Krishna Edition)
The latest edition of Radio Shakesville has been described by critics and fans alike as "a podcast" and "an hour long." If you haven't already downloaded it, you can do that here. Or here through iTunes. Or here through Feedburner. You can also look here for a complete list of songs in this show and decide beforehand that, wow, this is a bunch of crap and not download it at all. Or you can ignore the list and be surprised by the crap.
For those who enjoyed the Women in Music episode (and really, I need a better title for that series) part two is in the works, so if you'd like to call in with a request, give me a ring. The number is (641) 715-3900, extension 44515. If you enjoyed this episode, that's a fun way to make the next one even better.
Of course, if you thought the episode sucked, you can call in and tell me that too.
Speaking of the request line, if you'd like to hear something not related to women in music, or if you'd just like to dial in and tell me I'm an asshole, feel free to do that too. If you don't call I'm going to have to go with Butch Pornstache's request for "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" on a constant loop, because, as he said, "that one really gets the ladies wet."
And to everyone who has called in, and everyone who has downloaded it and enjoyed it, thanks so much.
Blotter Blogger
OK -- So, readers of my home blog may recall my penchant for the police and sheriff's blotters in my local newspaper (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, please read this post).
Last week, I was talking to 'Liss on the phone and we fell into the inevitable "reading each other things that we find hysterically funny from our respective hometown newspapers" routine (my thing: the police blotter -- her thing: the Quicklys) -- so I thought I'd share some of the recent blotter entries with you (because they're just too good to keep to myself). Please note -- blotter entries are verbatim, bolds included. Personal commentary in italics.A tie was found burnt in the middle of North Jacob Miller Road on April 9. There were no other signs of a fire or problems in the area. (This is definitely in the top ten for my all-time favs, but read on to see why I think it may not make the final cut. Even though it's probably not the Best Blotter Entry EVAH, it does have a very nice Twin Peaks-ish ambience going for it.)
Drum Roll, Please! -- My current front-runner for Best Blotter Entry EVAH (although it will, most likely, be knocked off its pedestal as the saga of my little town unfolds) is:
Tips and the jar they were in were stolen April 6 from an espresso stand in Discovery Bay. (Liss: "When they find the $33 in small bills and change on grandad's dresser, they'll be like -- 'Well phew! At least we know he didn't steal it -- because he doesn't have the jar'.")
Sunglasses, a flashlight and other items were stolen from an unlocked 1996 Geo Metro in the 500 block of 22nd on April 27. (Soooo disappointing -- probably left the Metro unlocked hoping that someone would steal the CAR.)
A 41-year-old man called police to report that his 47-year-old live-in girlfriend was "running her mouth" on April 27. Police made a report of the verbal dispute. (No comment, lest my Beloved turn me in for "running my mouth".)
A 44-year-old Port Hadlock woman and her 20-year-old son got into an argument about who would pay for the gas related to a landscaping job they were doing in the 1500 block of Lawrence on April 29. Police took a report.
A Hadlock woman called to complain about her 15-year old daughter not behaving on Jan. 18. She called back before a deputy arrived and said to disregard her issue.
(RE: The two entries above -- please refer to my first blotter post, which contains one of my favorite blotter entries ever -- the woman who called 911 to report that "her relatives were annoying her". I will simply repeat: REALLY?!? You can call 911 for this? I have so not been taking advantage of my tax-payer dollars.)
On the night of April 29, a 23-year-old transient woman said she was robbed of $40 in the parking lot of an apartment building on Gaines. Police and a witness were unable to locate the suspect. At 3:40 a.m. the next day, police were called back to the same building, where a resident complained that the woman, who used to live there, was keeping people up by using the laundry equipment. (Because, apparently, reporting these two things in the same entry maintains Cosmic Balance -- since we all know that transient-being-robbed is offset and utterly neutralized by transcient-keeping-people-up-by-using-laundry-equipment.)
A 53-year-old man parked his 2003 Chevy truck in front of a food vendor in the 2400 block of Washington at noon on April 30 to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. The food vendor asked him not to park there, police said, but he declined the suggestion. When he returned, he found a chunk of asphalt on top of his truck with a note telling him not to park there. Police are investigating. (This entry drives me to distraction -- was the chunk of asphalt wrapped in the note? Was the note held down by the asphalt so that it wouldn't blow away? Inquiring minds need to know. Oh, and "he declined the suggestion"? Priceless.)
OK -- the next three are filed under -- WTP?
A 27-year-old man reported that a painting he had on display in a Water Street coffee house was stolen May 3, but it might have been a misunderstanding, police said.
A pistol was found at Snow Creek and turned over to authorities April 26. It had not been stolen.
A Quilcene woman returned home April 29 from a vacation and found her house in disarray. She determined a relative was responsible and declined to pursue charges.
(And on that last one -- So, not only can I call 911 when my relatives annoy me, but also when my house is in disarray?)
Meth was said to be a problem in Hadlock on April 24, a woman told deputies. (Well, I should say so.)
Carpentry tools and power tools were reported taken from a weekend cabin back in February. (Reported in the May 5 paper, but apparently, the blotter was so thin this week that we needed to include a three-month old report. Maybe someone complained -- "Hey! I didn't see my report in the blotter three months ago! Unfair! 15 minutes! I was told 15 Minutes of Fame in the brochure!")
A Hadlock woman said a truck turned a corner April 25 and a sheet of glass flew off and broke into the roadway on First Street. The woman said she swept the glass off the roadway and the owner denied losing anything from the vehicle, but a half hour later the woman flipped off the driver, and that caused a brief argument to ensue requiring deputy patrols. (I love my little town, where professional police reporting includes the phrase "flipped off the driver".)
A prowler was said to be outside a home in Ludlow on April 5 and making coyote noises. A deputy saw no sign of a prowler. (It probably _was_ a coyote (or a dog who was part coyote -- heh-heh).
A dead raccoon was found March 30 in a trap left in the woods at Middlepoint and McCurdy Point Road. (Liss: "You had me at "A dead racoon . . . ".)
A woman said two Mormons came to her door Jan. 21, and she was concerned that they might not be real Mormons.I heart my tiny little town with a passionate and righteous fury.
[sorta cross-posted at Teh Portly Dyke]
Quote of the Day
"If we're going to let the bloggers run the country, then the country's best days are behind us."—Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), after bloggers responded to the announcement earlier this week that Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) would replace Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) as the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee by pointing out that "that Sessions had a record of racial insensitivity that stopped his appointment to the federal bench in 1986."
Just out of curiosity, and because I quite obviously share his feelings about those dirty pajama-wearing hippies, I went to Senator Graham's website to see if he had any petitions I could sign to ban blogging or forcibly relocate bloggers to Halliburton-built detention centers, and I was desperately disappointed to be greeted with this at the top of the page:
Obviously, those traitorous anti-American blogging scum have infiltrated his site without his knowledge. Hopefully someone will let him know!
Women Suck
Following immediately on the heels of GOP Senator John Thune's naked bigotry against potential gay nominees to SCOTUS, former RNC chair and senior Bush advisor Ed Gillespie visited "The Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer yesterday afternoon, where he helpfully explained that Obama should be looking for the most qualified candidates—which probably doesn't include women.
Blitzer: …remember the president, your President, the President Bush, uh, he did find a woman, Harriet Miers—Nowhere in the whole country. Not a single woman even close. Imagine that.
Gillespie: I remember it well. Yeah, sure, I was there.
Blitzer: —to be his nominee, and that didn't exactly work out. Did he get gunshy after that?
Gillespie: He did not get gunshy after that, uh, but I think that, you know, in the next round of, uh, the selection process, uh, the person who emerged as clearly most qualified—really head and shoulders above,uh, others—were [sic] Samuel Alito, and there wasn't really a woman who was of a comparable experience and skill and temperament and intellect.
Alito was only appointed three years ago, so Gillespie—particularly because he is not adding any qualifiers like "there weren't any conservative women"—is implying here, and none too subtly, that if Obama nominates any woman, she will be unqualified, because the Bush administration just searched high and low three years ago (and four years ago, when John Roberts was appointed) and found no one.
Keep it up, GOP. Keep it up.
Right and Wrong
Now that Maine has become the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage and the second to do it via legislation (and New Hampshire may become the sixth and third, respectively), the anti-gay lobby and the GOP are in a tough spot. Their argument that same-sex marriage was being foisted on a resistant population by "activist judges" has now been swept away, and so all they have left is fulmination and hand-wringing.
Our party platform articulates our opposition to gay marriage and civil unions, positions shared by many Americans. I believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman and strongly disagree with Maine’s decision to legalize gay marriage.That's from Michael Steele, the chairman -- for the moment -- of the RNC, in a statement he released late last night after he initially said he wouldn't be making a statement. It's apparent that he was prodded into saying something, so he recycled the old cant about marriage being between one man and one woman.
It still is; it's just more now. Nowhere in any of the laws passed in Maine, Massachusetts or Vermont or in the rulings from the courts in
The larger point, though, is that the conservatives are of the mindset that expanding a right dilutes that right; that allowing same-sex unions diminishes the marriages of straight couples or makes a "mockery" of "traditional" marriage. In the first place, "traditional" marriage as envisioned by these proponents is, historically, very recent and in some places in the world, not yet even the norm. People getting married purely for love is a revolutionary concept in the history of human relations; so much so that it was a dramatic enough idea that Shakespeare was considered outside the box, so to speak, for writing plays about couples who wanted to get married because they were in love. Marriage, as the bible defined it, was purely a business proposition.
Second, given the current state of matrimony in Western culture and a divorce rate of 50% or more -- especially in the Bible Belt -- "traditional marriage" could use a boost by people so in love and willing to make a commitment to each other that they are going to court to force the states to recognize their relationship, even at the risk of employment and security, and certainly at the risk of demonization by those who allegedly preach the gospel of "love one another." The irony is that same-sex couples are doing a better job of showing their true commitment to the rest of the world, whereas some straight couples denigrate it by taking it for granted or treat it as a lark (see Spears, Britney).
Finally, it's more than a little bigoted to say that somehow same-sex couples make a mockery of marriage. That's assuming that those people entering into this covenant are somehow less worthy of equal rights than everyone else. Why is the assumption that by including non-heterosexuals in the same cultural and legal rights makes those rights something less than what they are now? What is it about being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or otherwise, that makes someone less human?
Conservatives have, by and large, been on the wrong side of history when it comes to cultural evolution. They were wrong on slavery, women's rights, voting rights, civil rights, desegregation, reproductive choice, and now the rights of two people to make the personal choice to be recognized by the state and federal government as entitled to the same rights as everyone else. Ironically, the cornerstone of conservatism has been the advocacy for individual freedom, self-determination, and keeping the state out of the micromanagement of the lives of citizens. Same-sex marriage would seem to be a perfect example of those rock-ribbed conservative values.
Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.
Apropos of Bras
Reading Melissa's post reminded me of an experience I had the other day. A few weeks ago, during a visit to my parents in Houston, my ever-tactful mom informed me that I needed a new bra (I'll spare you her exact words, except to say that they made me feel simultaneously 13 and 60 years old). Anyway, like Melissa, I was shocked at how much the bras cost ($42 apiece for two "ultimate T-shirt bras," in pink and black, at Soma). Still, I was psyched to have my first new bras in, oh, 5 years, and I still am. Except! When I took out the pink bra, a week or so after buying it... THIS is what I saw:
You probably can't tell from the shitty iPhone photo, but that's a little pink metal ribbon, indicating my support for the breast cancer research of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, whose work (which focuses on addressing breast cancer after diagnosis instead of researching its causes) I most decidedly do not support. (And don't even get me started on the infantilization and crass consumerism that drives the breast cancer industry--practices Think Before You Pink has dubbed "pinkwashing"). Even more annoyingly, Soma's web site does not make it clear that buying their "pink support" bra means supporting The Cause. Curse you, Cancer-Industrial Complex, you've foiled me again!
Question of the Day
The natural follow-up to yesterday's QotD is: What film adaptation do you consider to be superior to the source material on which it was based?
The entire premise of Ian McEwan's Atonement [spoiler and trigger warning] is centered on an eyewitness misidentifying a rapist, while the rape victim keeps schtum and marries her rapist. In the book, which I read before I'd read enough McEwan to know he's got a problem with being unable to imagine other motivating events in women's lives besides rape (which is a whole other post that I swear I'll get around to writing someday), there's no suggestion whatsoever that Lola, the girl who was raped, marries her rapist, Paul, in some desperate attempt to redefine what he did to her, nor that she was coerced, nor any other mitigating explanation for the otherwise improbable scenario.
In the film, there is enough hint, largely because its director, Joe Wright, seems better able to empathize with women than does McEwan, that Lola is confused and unhappy and young and generally conflicted about marrying Paul that it makes the marriage more believable. Given that the whole plot hinges on Lola having a reason to not identify Paul as her rapist, one's got to buy the idea that she'd marry him (as the marriage is McEwan's device to explain her silence). It's more convincing in the film, which is, in every other way precisely how I'd imagined the book, so that gives the film the edge.
'Cuz You Know How Those Queers Are
This is extraordinarily outrageous, even for the intolerant, hatemongering ignoramuses known as the GOP (emphasis mine):
Gay-rights groups have voiced hope that Obama will select the first openly gay Supreme Court nominee, and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has offered two suggestions: Kathleen Sullivan, a former Stanford Law School dean, and Pam Karlan, another Stanford professor.Only in the fucked-up, privilege-soaked, fauxtopian fantasy world of the Republicans, with their bullshit rhetoric about tradition and morality masking an antique ideology that has no place in a multicultural society, could the mere fact of being gay be regarded as "polarizing," as "a bridge too far."
But conservative leaders have warned the nomination of a gay or lesbian justice could complicate Obama's effort to confirm a replacement for Souter, and another Republican senator on Wednesday warned a gay nominee would be too polarizing.
"I know the administration is being pushed, but I think it would be a bridge too far right now," said GOP Chief Deputy Whip John Thune. "It seems to me this first pick is going to be a kind of important one, and my hope is that he'll play it a little more down the middle. A lot of people would react very negatively."
Steve rightly notes that Thune is "as a practical matter, is establishing a litmus test—qualifications and merit are important, but homosexuality, regardless of any other factor, is more important," and posits that Thune is doing so because he "assume[s] that a gay nominee is necessarily someone on the ideological fringe." The reality is that any person who Exists While Gay is axiomatically part of the ideological fringe to people like Thune. They spend their whole lives relegating people to the margins, and they can't even conceive of a marginalized person who might not be a wild-eyed lunatic, given that they go apoplectic at the mere thought of conceding an ounce of their privilege.
Hence, we have the GOP Chief Deputy Whip and a seasoned Senator indicating in a positively shameless manner that marginalized people should not be allowed a potential judicial ally. Thune's rank bigotry couldn't be more evident: Oh noes! A gay person on the Supreme Court might mean that the LGBTQI community has an ally when they sue for the equal rights we've been denying them for more than two hundred years!
Hey, GOP: That's why you're losing, right there. Because your elected members are fucking assholes.
Busts 4 Justice
Shaker SapphireCate just sent me the link to this BBC article about big-busted women taking on Marks & Sparks' policy of charging more for bras sized over a DD cup. And the funny thing is that my first response was: "Only £2 more?! And only over a DD?! Lucky gals."
Coincidentally, when SCate sent the link, I was actually looking for a new bra online, and the prices are OUTRAGEOUS. All my bras are like eleventy-thousand years old, and they're falling apart at the seams, but I just can't face that I need to spend like $30 on a bra just because I'm a freaking DD cup. And, more importantly, have a band wider than 40".
I know they use more material, but come on! Argh.
Just another reason, among many, that I'm really glad I don't have to wear a bra most of the time.
(And no disrespect to, or criticism of, women who either have to wear a bra or like wearing them. I'm just stating my personal preference and no implicit commentary is intended.)
Lambert Rocks Idol
Last night was "rock night" on American Idol, and it was another round of "Which one of these doesn't belong?" as Adam Lambert came out and rocked some Zeppelin:
Although, if I'm honest, I liked Adam's duet with Allison even more than this solo performance last night:
If these two aren't the finalists this year, there is no justice in the world. And of course we know there isn't, so it will probably be Adam and that douchebag Gokey. Speaking of whom…
Oh, HELL no. What the fuck was THAT? Save me, Maude. Save me, and save my ears from the scary youth minister and his horrible weaponized screechery.
Btw, I loved—LOVED—how much Kris and Danny seemed to hate each other during their duet last night.
Their barely-concealed contempt for one another was even more priceless during the judging. How can the love between two youth ministers have gone so terribly wrong?! I bet it was about the number of sacraments.
Here's some more Adam, care of Andy:
Rock on.
Garden Porn
Here is some Garden Porn I photographed this morning. The five photos at the end were taken over the last few weeks.
(Cross-posted)
Hugh Jackman Is Just Getting Stingy Now
He wants all my love—ALL OF IT!
Hugh Jackman has announced that despite wanting to be a dancer when he was a child, he gave up his dreams after his older brother accused him of being gay.So, here's the thing. This could have been like any one of a billion stories I've read in which a male celebrity talks about giving up some pursuit (frequently professional ball-athletes who gave up ballet, or businessmen who gave up acting) because a father/older brother/friend(s) told them it was "faggy" or "for girls," that concludes with some variation of: "So I gave it up and lived happily ever after as a very manly man. The End."
The 40-year-old X-Men Origins: Wolverine star said in an interview with Time Out: "In another world, another life, probably growing up in another country, I might have been more of a dancer. In fact I was going down that road when I was about 12.
"I was encouraged to do that, and I remember my brother saying, 'Ah, you poof,' so I gave it up. I dropped it like a hot rock. I didn't have the guts of Billy Elliot at the time!
"I think was about 11 actually, I wasn't even 100 per cent sure what [poof] meant, but I knew this wasn't cool. Then later when I was about 18, I remember thinking this is just ridiculous; I enjoyed dancing."
But this is a Hugh Jackman story, so, instead, it ends with: "And I realized that being afraid to be seen as gay was weak, and it was stupid, and so I said, 'Fuck it,' and learned to dance and lived happily ever after. The End." Which is, like, so much better it's not even funny.
And, once again, I don't care if he is gay but closeted as the gossip insists: At the moment he's presenting as straight—and he's not suing magazines who suggest he's gay; he's telling a story about a boy who learned to dance despite gay taunts. There are boys who need to hear those stories. (Girls, too.) So I'm glad he's telling his own.
Shakespeare's Sister Theater Presents...
Episode 59: "The Jailbird Always Sings Twice"
Story and Graphics by Liss
[This post originally ran on October 26, 2006 as part of the Superbloggers series, and I'm reposting it today in honor of Spudsy's birthday. Wheeeeeee!]
When last we left our fearless Superbloggers, they had just managed to narrowly escape Mark "maf54" Foley's Chat Room of Doom through the cunning use of explosive snark.
"Thank Zeus you came up with that terrible pun about turning the page," said The Pink Petulance. "Otherwise we might never have busted out of that thing."
"No kidding," agreed Dr. Zero. "By the way, did you notice how Foley's series of tubes were totally clogged with porn?"
"What am I—blind?!" exclaimed The Pink Petulance. "It's a wonder he isn't, the dirty wanker."
Just as the superbloggers arrived at the Fortress of Snarkitude, the Spudphone started to ring."Could you be a dear?" said Dr. Zero. "I'm making us drinkies."
The Pink Petulance grabbed the phone. "Who is it and what the hell do you want?"
"For Clenis' sake! What kind of way is that to answer the phone, Pink Petulance?"
Yes, it was SuperKos, calling our Superblogger heroes to give them their Superblogger orders, which they would follow without question, as all Superbloggers do.
"Shut it, SuperKos," snapped The Pink Petulance. "My ass has been stuck in Foley's Chat Room of Doom all day; I don't need any shit right now. What's the score?"
"I'm afraid there's serious trouble in Beltropolis," SuperKos said. "I'd take care of it myself, but with the election coming up—""Just give me the lowdown," barked The Pink Petulance. Dr. Zero arrived with drinks. "Wait, hold on—I'm putting you on superspeaker… Okay, go."
"The Googler has stolen the flag!" exclaimed SuperKos.
"The Googler has stolen the fag?" asked Dr. Zero. He and The Pink Petulance looked at each other curiously.
"No, not the fag, you idiots! The flag!" yelled SuperKos. "God, I hate superspeaker! Anyway, The Googler has stolen the flag and is using it to wreak all kinds of havoc all over the country. From village to dell, he's terrorizing the people and making them bow to his bidding. It's our worst nightmare!"
"We're on it," said Dr. Zero. "To the Spudmobile!"
As the Superbloggers approached The Googler's lair at the center of Beltropolis, they realized it was even worse than they had feared. Standing outside Internets Mansion were The Googler's evil henchmen, Darth Cheney and Heinous Hastert the Tyrannosaurus of Turpitude. From nearly a mile away, the Superbloggers could hear Darth Cheney's guttural howling: "Goooo fuck yourself!" It sent chills up their spines.
"We're gonna need backup," said Dr. Zero.
"Give me the communicator," said The Pink Petulance. "I know just who to call."
While The Pink Petulance put out the call to their Superblogger ally, Dr. Zero parked the Spudmobile. They had barely had time to finish the delicious tuna sandwiches The Pink Petulance had packed for them before help had arrived. "Look!" cried Dr. Zero. "It's Captain Waveflux!"
"It is I—Captain Waveflux!" said the newly arrived Superblogger. "Whuzzup?""The Googler has stolen the flag," said The Pink Petulance. "He's using it to take control of the whole country!"
"According to our sources, he's hiding out in his lair right now," added Dr. Zero. "But Darth Cheney and Heinous Hastert are standing guard. We've taken on some evil beasts in our day, but the two of us against that dastardly duo…?"
"You were wise to call," said Captain Waveflux. "Let's roll."
The trio of Superbloggers made their way to the front gate of Internets Mansion. "Goooo fuck yourself!" shouted Darth Cheney. He aimed a rifle at them.
Captain Waveflux shot an Anti-Belligerence Bolt at him, stunning him. At that moment, Heinous Hastert came lumbering toward them. "You two finish off Darth Cheney," said The Pink Petulance. "I've got a score to settle with the scaly pot of shit over there."
Dr. Zero shot Darth Cheney with the Integrity Ray. "You got it!" he said. "I think we've got this under control."
While Captain Waveflux and Dr. Zero dispatched with Darth Cheney, The Pink Petulance strutted toward Heinous Hastert. "So we meet again," snarled Heinous Hastert.
"Yeah. Last time I saw that ugly mug of yours, you were devouring my grandma, if I recall correctly," said The Pink Petulance.
"You're damn tootin'!" cackled Heinous Hastart. "And she was delicious."
The Pink Petulance reached into her backpack and drew out her secret weapon. "Take this, Hastert!" she cried.
"Sparkleshorts?!" Heinous Hastert yowled. "Noooooooooooo!" He quivered and backed away, trying vainly to reach his small arms far enough to cover his eyes.
"By the power of Richard Simmons, I condemn you!" yelled The Pink Petulance.
And with that, Heinous Hastert exploded and was no more.
The three Superbloggers regrouped to formulate a plan to take on The Googler. But then—out of nowhere—he appeared before them. "The Googler!" Dr. Zero cried.
"Yeah, heh heh. That's right," said The Googler. "That's me. Heh heh. I'm—"
"Damn you, Googler!" shouted The Pink Petulance.
"Lemme finish," said The Googler.
"You won't get away with your evil plan, Googler!" said Captain Waveflux.
"Lemme finish," said The Googler. "Interrupt me once, shame on you. Interrupt me twice…interrupted…can't get interrupted again."
"What the fuck are you babbling about?" asked The Pink Petulance.
"It's an old saying we got in Texas," said The Googler. "Heh heh."
"I really hate this guy," muttered The Pink Petulance.
"Me, too," said Dr. Zero.
"Me, too," said Captain Waveflux.
"I gotta mandate!" said The Googler. "Stay the course. There's a rumor on the internets, you know. Is our children learning? We've got to be able to put food on our families."
The three Superbloggers looked at each other. "How did this guy become an arch villian?" Captain Waveflux asked. "He's a moron."
The Pink Petulance sighed exasperatedly. "Listen, Googler. Are you going to give up the flag nice and easy, or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"
"Being The Googler is hard work," he replied.
"I'm over it," Dr. Zero said impatiently. "Let's get him."
The Superbloggers rushed in, flinging everything they had at The Googler—Anti-Belligerence Bolts, the Integrity Ray, the Hypocrisy Beam, the Spritzing Clown Flower of Undeniable Logic. Each onslaught was met with The Googler's infamous 9/11 Blocks of Impenetrable Terror. "We're never going to get the flag away from this guy!" yelled The Pink Petulance, as The Googler wrapped himself ever more tightly in the Stars and Stripes.
"Hit him with the Investigatitron 3000!" said Captain Waveflux.
"9/11!" retorted The Googler.
"Get him with the Low Approval Laser!" said Dr. Zero.
"9/11!" retorted The Googler. The attacks slid off him like he was made of oil.
"I've got it!" shouted The Pink Petulance. "Let's hit him with the Vote Shifter!"
The Superbloggers blasted The Googler with the Vote Shifter, hitting him in every direction. Its beam turned slowly but steadily from red to blue, searing into The Googler and rendering him weak. "It's working!" said Dr. Zero.
The Googler collapsed to his knees. The flag was almost in reach—
Suddenly, Dieboldo swept in out of nowhere and threw himself between the Vote Shifter and The Googler. "I am immune to your puny Vote Shifter!" said Dieboldo. "Mwah ha ha ha! Your powers are useless against me, Superbloggers!"
"Noooooooooooo!" shouted the Superbloggers in unison.
"Yes!" shouted Dieboldo. He danced in front of The Googler, shielding him from further damage. The Googler pulled himself together and hugged the flag to him.
"Fuck this noise!" exclaimed The Pink Petulance. "Get me the Impeacherator!"
Dr. Zero grabbed the Impeacherator out of his knapsack, and the Superbloggers took it in hand, aiming it squarely at The Googler. "Even you can't stop the Impeacherator, Dieboldo!" snarled Dr. Zero.
"Uh, lemme finish," said The Googler.
"Finish this!" shouted The Pink Petulance. Captain Waveflux flipped the on switch, and the Impeacherator buzzed to life, sending a think stream of Impeachment right through Dieboldo and into The Googler's heartless chest. Dieboldo exploded in a shower of sparks, and The Googler writhed in agony. "Heh…heh," he stuttered. "If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator. Heh…heh…hehhhhhhh."
The Googler fell forward onto his codpiece. Thusly was the villainous flag-snatcher vanquished.
Dr. Zero grabbed the flag. "The flag is ours!" he cried triumphantly.
"Let's return it to its rightful place," suggested Captain Waveflux, "where all the citizens of Beltropolis can enjoy it."
"Good idea," said The Pink Petulance. "I always loved this flag."
"You're such a flag hag!" said Dr. Zero.
"Ho ho ho!" they laughed.
Tune in next time, true believers, when Dr. Zero and The Pink Petulance come face to face with KILLER CONDI!
Quote of the Day
"Kindness covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out."—Roger Ebert, who has, as long-term Shakers are well aware, long been one of my heroes, in a post that made me cry.
[H/T to P.Z.]
Wednesday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by Shaxco, makers of Matilda's Parfum, Eau de Balls.
Recommended Reading:
Julia: Why Feminists Should Be Concerned with the Impending Revision of the DSM
Sady: Rape for Laughs
Pam: James Dobson Still Not Going the Fuck Away
Lisa: Passive and on Her Back: Advertising a Headset
Ethan: Hate Crime Bill Should Be Used to Revive Interest in Fighting Rape in Pornography
Chris: You Can't Please Everyone: This is Spinal Tap
Leave your links in comments...
Assvertising
by Shaker Scott Madin
One of the Feminist Law Professors writes about yet another entry in the depressingly long series of fast-food chain ads relying on the "women as food" theme. This time it's not Carl's Jr., though, it's White Castle. The copy of the ad embedded at FLP isn't great quality, but you can see it at White Castle's website, and below is a better-quality YouTube video.
[Shot of dudes sitting at tables in dimly lit club. Shot of dancer, hips down, silhouetted in front of bright backdrop; dancer cocks hips. Shot of full stage; dancer turns, revealing self to be wearing plush pig costume, and begins stereotypical stripper dance routine, minus removal of clothing. Shot of two scruffy, hoodie-wearing dudebros sitting at table; occupant of third chair is outsized White Castle brown paper bag; all three turn to look at camera (i.e. in direction of stage). Dancer sits "sexily" in chair on stage, performs stereotypical stripper-in-chair moves while sultry-woman-voiceover begins.]So: We've got woman = pig; we've got woman = food; we've got an animal cheerful about its own slaughter and consumption; we've got food = sex; we've got the strip club as a metaphor for all this, which one might argue is apt in ways White Castle never intended, but which they pretty clearly think is harmless, sexy fun for everyone involved.
VO: Introducing tempting pulled pork... [dancer reaches up, pulls dangling chain; brown liquid splashes down from above stage; crowd cheers] ...in barbecue sauce.
[Dancer throws head forward as though flipping long hair; sauce splashes on two dudebros and outsized White Castle bag. Dancer gets up from chair and continues dance, to cheers; cut to shot of three pulled-pork sandwiches.]
VO: Shredded pork in a come-hither barbecue sauce. Sweet. Saucy! Oh-so-naughty. [shot of dudebros and bag; dudebro swipes finger through sauce on bag, licks finger; dancer's "hooves" seen in foreground; applause continues] White Castle: What you crave.
As I told Liss in email, I'm honestly kind of at a loss for anything else to say about this. It's so layered with blatant awfulness that I feel like comment on my part would be superfluous.
At WhiteCastle.com, there's a generic "Contact Us" form, but you're probably better off using the corporate contact information here.
[Assvertising: Parts One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, Thirty-Three, Thirty-Four, Thirty-Five, Thirty-Six, Thirty-Seven, Thirty-Eight, Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One, Forty-Two, Forty-Three, Forty-Four, Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Forty-Seven, Forty-Eight, Forty-Nine, Fifty, Fifty-One, Fifty-Two, Fifty-Three, Fifty-Four, Fifty-Five, Fifty-Six, Fifty-Seven, Fifty-Eight, Fifty Nine, Sixty, Sixty-One.]
Feel the Homomentum!
[UPDATE: I see Misty beat me to it. Ah, well. It deserves at least two threads!]
Maine legalizes same-sex marriage.
Democratic Gov. John Baldacci today signed into law a bill allowing gay marriage, making Maine the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage.Blubbity-blub!
The governor's signature came barely an hour after the measure won final approval in the state Legislature, with a final 31-8 vote in favor in the Maine Senate.
Baldacci said in a statement that while he has opposed gay marriage in the past, "I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage."
"This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs," the governor said. "It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of church and state."
"It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine's civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government," Baldacci said.
Dr. Judith Chamberlin holds up a text message proposing to her partner Karen Marlin after the Maine Senate passed the same-sex marriage bill today. Marlin's answer was "You bet." (John Patriquin/Staff Photographer)If you can't see the image or make out the text, it reads: "Okay...The Senate just passed the final bill. Will you marry me? Love, Me."
Blub times a zillion.
The law is scheduled to take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends. And, naturally, the collection of fucknecks known all-too-politely as "opponents of same-sex marriage" are "gearing up to mount a so-called 'people's veto' campaign that would put the issue to a statewide vote in November." Teaspoons at the ready.
But in the meantime: Let's dance!
Homomentum!
May 6, 2009 · Maine Gov. John Baldacci has signed legislation making the state the fifth in the nation to allow same-sex marriage.Wooooo!
Baldacci, a Democrat, signed the bill Wednesday shortly after the state Senate voted 21-13, with one absent, to approve the measure authorizing marriage between any two people rather than between one man and one woman, as state law had allowed. The House had passed the bill Tuesday.
Republican Sen. Debra Plowman of Hampden argued that the bill was being passed "at the expense of the people of faith."Oh shut the fuck up with your ridiculous, hand-wringing, unfounded nonsense.
"You are making a decision that is not well-founded," warned Plowman.
The article notes that New Hampshire has a bill to send to its governor and if it is signed, Rhode Island will be the lone New England holdout.
UAB Gets $5 Million Anonymous Donation -- White Men Whine
This is Kathy from Birmingham Blues. I posted about the UAB donation at my place this morning and immediately heard from a poor downtrodden white guy -- I've included his comment and my reply below the original post. Liss, thanks as always for the guest-post opportunity!
The University of Alabama at Birmingham has received an anonymous $5 million donation, one of at least 16 around the country that have gone to woman-led universities. The money comes with stipulations: $4 million must be used to fund scholarships for women and minority students, and the recipients can't attempt to find out the donor's identity.
Predictably, the white males at al.com, upset that they've never, ever, over the course of human history been granted any advantages because of their white maleness, are complaining about discrimination.
Sheesh. I'm thinking that may deserve a Whiny Ass Titty Babytm Award.
****
Reader Jonathan did not appreciate my take on the story:I haven’t read AL.com today, so I don’t know what the white males over there are saying.
To which I responded:
But this white male is saying that’s wonderful that a donation was made of that size and that it’s going to help minorities and women. I say we need more of that.
Now all I ask is that when someone wants to start a white males only scholarship or a donor wishes to donate a large sum of money and have stipulations that it can only be used for white males, that it be allowed just as we’ve allowed the above donation and millions other that are just as selective in their criteria.
Wait, what’s that? That would be discrimination? Interesting… Guess equality is a one way street.No, Jonathan, equality is not a one-way street. If we had reached actual equality of opportunity in this country, you’d see far more women in particular in top leadership positions — we do, after all, make up 50+ percent of the population.
Commenter Zach was a bit more direct:
For centuries, the best jobs and the scholarships, legacies, and recommendations from the power network went almost exclusively to white men. No one had to designate them so; it was simply assumed that white men were better qualified — and the people hiring, granting admission, or distributing scholarships gave them to those who looked and sounded like them.
We have only just begun in the past couple of decades to progress beyond that way of thinking, and we still have a way to go before we’re really beyond it.Wow Jonathan, Douchebag, party of one?
Support Choice in the Dominican Republic
Last month, the Dominican Republic took the first steps toward amending their constitution to state that life begins at conception, completely outlawing abortion even in cases of rape, incest, and the mother's life/health being threatened by the pregnancy.
Today, pro-choice groups in D.R. are seeking support from around the world, asking us to stand in solidarity with them by contacting the D.R. embassy in our own countries (or the government, if in D.R.) and urge them not to compromise women's health and rights by approving the amendment.
Shaker Frau Sally Benz provides the contact info:
If you're in the US: embassy@us.serex.gov.do
If you're in the UK: embassy@dominicanembassy.org.uk
If you're in Canada: larias@drembassy.org and copy ygutierrez@drembassy.org
For those [elsewhere], you can search for "Dominican Republic embassy in [insert name of your country here]" to find the appropriate email address.Akimbo provides a sample letter here. It only takes a moment to copy, paste, and send. Teaspoons ahoy.
o.oP!
The Beast Protects Itself
From the NYT:
An internal Justice Department inquiry has concluded that Bush administration lawyers committed serious lapses of judgment in writing secret memorandums authorizing brutal interrogations but that they should not be prosecuted, according to government officials briefed on its findings.The office that produced this report is obviously misnamed, since they clearly don't understand the meaning of responsibility.
The report by the Office of Professional Responsibility, an internal ethics unit within the Justice Department, is also likely to ask state bar associations to consider possible disciplinary action, which could include reprimands or even disbarment, for some of the lawyers involved in writing the legal opinions, the officials said.
Meet the new boss...
Officer Jack Sparrow?
Do the police in Tenaha, TX, "shake down" drivers, particularly drivers of color, in what one attorney calls "a piracy operation?"
Roderick Daniels was traveling through East Texas in October 2007 when, he says, he was the victim of a highway robbery.This story caught my attention because my family and I routinely travel through Tenaha on our way to and from Louisiana. I have my own stories about East Texas police:
The Tennessee man says he was ordered to pull his car over and surrender his jewelry and $8,500 in cash that he had with him to buy a new car.
But Daniels couldn't go to the police to report the incident.
The men who stopped him were the police.
My experiences with the police have included:More recently (several weeks ago), my sister and her fiance were pulled over in East Texas after meeting me in Houston. Her description:
My father and I being pulled over while I was an undergraduate, separated, and questioned. We were in Texas, our car had Louisiana plates, and the cops admitted they suspected drug trafficking.
Similarly, I was tailed closely by a cop for a while in a small East Texas town who didn't turn on his lights, initially. He was following me so closely that I put on my signal and got into the next lane. Then he turned on his lights--said I was supposed to wait until I'd traveled at least so many feet after turning on my signal to switch lanes. The problem, again, was my Louisiana plates in a Texas town. He wanted to know where I lived currently, where I was traveling to, and why. I answered, simply because I didn't know if I was allowed not to answer and I had no intention of disappearing in East Texas.
The cop pulled out behind us and trailed us for five minutes before turning on his lights. He made [my fiance] get out and come to the back of the car and made me stay in. He shined the light directly in my baby's face, woke him up, and wouldn't move the light. Of course, he started crying and I was digging for the insurance papers and wanted to cry myself.My sister's experience and one of mine occurred in Diboll, TX, 70 miles from Tenaha.
He kept asking the same questions over and over, trying to find inconsistencies. Then he asked for permission to search the car. I told him yes because he wouldn't find anything and offered to show him all my prescription medicines. When he realized we were telling the same story, he didn't want to search the car anymore. I'll be honest, I definitely felt like it was racial profiling--he saw a black man who didn't live there, driving through town late at night. But, I threw him off by agreeing to let him search the car.
There seems to be some element of racial-profiling in the Tenaha cases, as well.
[Attorney David] Guillory, who practices in nearby Nacogdoches, Texas, estimates authorities in Tenaha seized $3 million between 2006 and 2008, and in about 150 cases -- virtually all of which involved African-American or Latino motorists -- the seizures were improper.Emphasis mine.
You might wonder, if the stops seem suspect, why people sign waivers forfeiting their property. There is of course the very immediate fear of what can happen to you, particularly as a person of color being pulled over in a rural town by the police. Then there are the threats. According to the article, the officers routinely threaten people with jail time and the loss of their children.*
Of course, town officials deny all wrongdoing. I scoffed while reading that. Stops like this are often the result of the so-called war on drugs. You know, the "war" that disproportionately targets people of color and takes away their liberty, property, and rights. It feeds into racial-profiling which 1) encourages cops to conduct searches of people of color and their vehicles more often when they are stopped (and treat them more harshly) 2) perpetuates the stereotype that all African Americans and Latin@s with large sums of cash must be drug dealers or doing something illegal 3)justifies the intense focus on communities of color which contributes to the disproportionate numer of arrests and convictions.**
I also scoffed because the racial disparities in arrests and convictions, and the concurrent violation of PoC's rights, have been particularly well-documented in small Texas towns.
We'll see how this plays out, though I can already here the faint cries of the coming, "It's the damn outsiders trying to make something racial outta this!"
H/T Bint via Twitter
(cross-posted)
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*This is a particularly salient threat--the state intervenes disproportionately in families of color, a fact partially attributable to both racism and classism--as Dorothy Roberts said in Shattered Bonds, "the public child welfare system equates poverty with neglect," (p 25).
**For statistics about the claims I made in this paragraph, I referred to a fact sheet I put together for my class's discussion of the prison industrial complex. The fact sheet was culled from these sources.
*Smacks Forehead*
Steve and Tbogg both point to a post by William A. Jacobson, a fucking Associate Clinical Professor of Law at Cornell Law School, who...
*rubs eyes, sighs deeply*
Okay, seriously... if this kind of shit is going to go on for the next four years, I don't know how I'm going to take it without snapping and going on a five state killing spree.
So apparently, as Petulant pointed out, the NOOZ had to report on The Most Important Story of the Day: Obama and Biden sitting down for a couple of burgers. But that isn't the REALLY IMPORTANT PART of The Most Important Story of the Day, nononono. The BIG part of the story is that...
You're never gonna believe it...
I can hardly believe it myself...
Obama...
Get ready for it...
ORDERED DIJON MUSTARD ON HIS BURGER!
Haw haw haw! What a fucking pansy, amirite?
*bangs head against wall several times*
Seriously. Steve and Tbogg link to the original post, where the guy has no less than six fucking updates and four videos of "proof" about a dollop of goddamn mustard, along with:Obama ordered his burger with DIJON MUSTARD! Bet he had to seek John Kerry's counsel on that.
Christ, "John Kerry is an elitist" jokes? Did I stumble into the Wayback machine?
I mean... look, the guy made a fucking graphic:
And he's actually calling this "Dijongate." Dijongate! I'd say he's doing this tongue-in-cheek, but... come on, six updates? Obsessing about a "cover-up?"
Here, by the way, is the big "cover-up."NBC's regular news reported Obama's order as follows: ""I'm going to have a basic cheddar cheese burger, medium well, with mustard," Obama said. "Do you have spicy mustard? I'll take that."
Holy fuck, what a scandal! I don't know if there's an award out there for "Fucking Stupidest Blog Post on the Face of the Earth,*" but I think this would have to be in the top five.
Actually, the quote was "you got a spicy mustard or something like that, or a Dijon mustard, something like that" (at 0.55 of the unedited video below without Mitchell's talkover).
I give the fuck up.
*(Thanks, Tommy Franks.)
