OMG! Obama a Christian!

Apparently, Obama's team finds it necessary to underscore (yet again!) that he is in fact a Christian. I get it. A lot of Americans vote by their faith, and a lot of Americans are Christians. A politician must exploit his belief system in order to cater to the concerns of his more religious constituents. (Well, technically, nobody ever HAS to do anything, but politics is certainly a game of "whatever it takes to get on top".)

(Here's the article on Yahoo!, which if you've ever read the comments on Yahoo! articles, you'll realize why it's pretty apropos that it's a major headline there. Even articles on cute cat tricks inevitably contain comments praising Sarah Palin as an angel and Obama as a demonic socialist.)

So, even though I understand the necessity for this, I still find it pretty unnerving. I believe Obama. Being the US President is a tough job and it is often under extremely stressful situations that people turn to faith. I totally buy every quote he's spewing out; however, it's the reason that bothers me.

The reality is, if Obama wants to get reelected in 2012, he is going to need to build a stronger base among typically conservative Christians. This is a great start to a necessary PR scheme. All I'm saying is, I don't have to like it.

Helen on Bipartisanship

Helen never ceases to amaze me:

On the 'modern' Republican party: "And your party decided the tradition of separating church and state had an expiration date. You love the constitution but you seem to pick through that document the same way you pick through the Bible – with all the effectiveness of eating corn on the cob through a picket fence."

Read Helen's new post on Obama's (fruitless?) attempt at bipartisanship. Read all the way through because this time Margaret pipes in.

Give Soliders the 'Credits' They Deserve

Great article in the New York Times today about the G.I. Bill. I've run into quite a few people in my liberal lifestyle who seem to disagree with the bill that, since 9/11, states that servicemen and women who have served active duty for more than three years, or have been injured, are entitled to free tuition and housing at any public university in the United States. It's unfair, they say. What makes their accomplishments better than those of other applicants? Why do we owe them something so great for upholding a war we don't believe in?

I don't necessarily think it's about "owing" them anything. That's condescending and implies that the only rationale for sending a solider to college is to compensate for the time they spent serving our country. It's more about how they've earned it. In any situation, a person who has experienced extreme challenges in life is going to have a different perspective on how they approach their education - often a much more mature and disciplined point of view. They have persevered in the face of great adversity. How many of you can say that?

Sending soldiers - men and women who are forced to survive, persevere and think on their feet every waking hour in a war zone - to college for free might be one of America's best ideas. Capitalizing on the skills they've already learned in the field and educating and training them as leaders in various fields will only push our society further in terms of progress. Aside from the notion of "owing" them anything, it's also in the best interest of our country.

Listen, I have pretty strong views when it comes to the wars we're engaged in, but I'm not going to blame our soldiers. There are soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan as we speak who disagree with those wars too, but because they have made a promise to protect our country upon enlisting, they go off to battle anyway and make the best of a bad situation. They actually go to war torn countries and form their opinions about war by living and fighting in them. That gives them a lot more credibility than any politician, news correspondent or everyday person.

I say, give them credit - and I mean that literally. 15 credits a semester should work just fine.

Health Care Passes with a Laugh

The United States Senate passed a historic $871 billion health care reform bill today. A lot of people have problems with the bill. Liberals are saying it's too much of a compromise and doesn't go far enough. Conservatives are saying it's awful because it makes everyone more equal and that will upset the status quo (in so many words). That latter ideology is pretty ironic considering health care reform used to be something Republicans could get behind. Richard Nixon said, "Comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time has come in America. There has long been a need to assure every American financial access to high quality health care. As medical costs go up, that need grows more pressing." But of course, this was back when Republicans were actual politicians representing the people and not religious circus freaks.

I say it's a good start. It's a step in the right direction. Is it enough? No. Is it the only chance we had to actually make a move on universal health care before next year's elections? Yes. Don't forget, we live in America and Americans are bitter folks who hold massive grudges. Frankly, not much has come out of the Obama administration this year (at least that's the perception) and it's pretty much a guarantee that we as a country will hold that against him the next time we're at the ballot box. Obama's not an idiot - he knows what he's doing. This bill was basically now or never.

Perhaps the funniest (well, probably funny for people 50+ who are into politics) thing to happen out of this whole drama is what happened at today's vote. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, voted "no" on his own bill! He quickly corrected himself and voted "aye", but not before getting a hearty laugh from the rest of the Senate. It's good to see all those old fogies in good spirits. It just goes to show you, laughter and happiness are two things that can truly cross party lines - two things that actually matter.

Kool Aid and Jesus Juice

I never tire of Sarah Palin. She is a certified wacko with certified wacko supporters. Does she hurt American society by existing? Yes. But it's really entertaining to watch her and her supporters be nutjobs.

I love this video, where a reporter interviews Sarah Palin supporters at a book signing for her new "book", Going Rogue. After watching these interviews, it's pretty clear that the majority of Sarah Palin supporters are only supporting her because they've drunk the Kool-Aid (and the Jesus Juice, of course). They continuously spout out falsities that they've been conditioned to believe by watching too much Fox News.

Here's how I see it. It's not their fault that most of these people feel this way. They're essentially victims of fear and propaganda... and extreme Christianity. It's too easy to blame them. After the laughter subsided, I really just started to feel sorry for them.

Some of my favorite moments:

At 4:10:
Reporter: "Do you think Sarah will win if she throws her hat into the ring?"
Man: "Uh, well, he (Obama) is naturalizing a lot of the illegal aliens - he's in the process of doing it - they're saying she's not gonna have the votes when you throw those numbers in."
Reporter: "There won't be enough white votes on one side to get a candidate through?"
Man: "No way."

At 4:36:
SP Lookalike: "We do need to have profiling. The politically correctness has gotta get out now. I mean, we're Americans and she sticks up for the American people, not for other people. We're first, other people the last."

At 5:24:
Weird Lady: "Drill, baby, drill!" (Laughs)
Reporter: "Of course a lot of people are saying we don't have enough oil."
Weird Lady: "Well, look at it like this. Suppose that we do drill, and not just for oil but for gas, and for, for... well, while we're talking about that, some of these special interest groups like PETA and that, that try to endangered species with polar bears and other animals. We need to get the polar bears off the endangered list so we can drill there."

Also, check out the Miss South Carolina wannabe at 2:10.

Sarah, Plain and Silly

I have yet to confirm this, but I'm hoping with all of my heart it's true.

According to a favorite blog of mine, the following is a direct quote from Sarah Palin's new "book" Going Rogue:

“If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?”

Please be true, please be true, please be true.

Helen's Turkey Tips

Before Thanksgiving, I posted Helen's (of Margaret and Helen) open letter to her family about her wishes for Thanksgiving. For those faithful readers who are dying to hear how it all went down, Helen hasn't failed us.

Check out her blog to read about why bacon and butter is better than nuts, what her "dumbass son-in-law" dared buy her, and how suggests you stuff your turkey next year.

A little teaser to pique your interest:

I am so sorry to hear that your sister-in-law’s turkey was not as tender and moist as mine. Did she try the brine this year like I suggested? And the butter and bacon in the dressing instead of nuts? Butter and bacon. Remember that. You can make almost anything taste better with one or the other. Honestly, Margaret, I have never understood her insistence on cornbread stuffing with nuts in it. That combination would suck the moisture out of a Kleenex.

Happy Thanksgiving?

Nothing like a downer on Thanksgiving day.

Thank you, Mr. Burroughs.

W. S. Burroughs - thanksgiving prayer -
by Maetthew

I'd like to add a few more to that list:

1) Thanks for upholding the double standard, most recently displayed with Adam Lambert's same-sex kiss on national television. What was okay for Madonna and Britney (non-homos) isn't okay for the real sinners.
2) Thanks to the cleverest of Americans who find the time to create images depicting Michelle Obama as a monkey.
3) Thank you Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh (you never disappoint!), Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Bill O'Reilly for your relentlessness in pursuing "truth" in "journalism".
4) Thanks, Carrie Prejean for providing me with lots of material this year, but also for really sticking it to those who dare cross into the land of the "inappopriate".
5) Thanks to the dedicated TSA employees who threatened to report me to the cops when I refused to ruin my luggage by stuffing it in their metal, carry-on measurement contraption at the front of the airport security line.
6) And here's a SINCERE thanks to the fine reporting of Anne Curry, showcasing her talents recently whilst informing us about Paula Deen's unfortunate encounter with an 8 pound ham. Yes, puns are ALWAYS appropriate.



HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving Tips from Helen

Helen, over at Margaret and Helen, shares with us the list of dos and don'ts she's made for her family for Thanksgiving dinner.

I'm still laughing. You tell 'em, Helen!

1. Cloe. I am begging you honey. None of that Jello crap. No one eats it and the garbage stinks for a week after I throw it out. You and Jello are like Palin and McCain. How many times before you learn no one wants seconds much less firsts.
2. Jennifer. Your children are cute. We all can agree on that. Your husband’s video camera capturing every runny nose and bowel movement– not so much. Keep this up honey and you’ll have one posing for Playgirl before you know it. It’s just not natural to be that comfortable in front of a camera. Ten minutes of video when you first arrive and then the camera goes back into the camera bag.
3. Trudy. If your brother and sister want to come, they can be on time like everyone else. If they are late again this year, they can eat what the dogs don’t finish.
4. Rhonda. It’s my oven and once again I’ll be using it right up until mealtime. If you can’t bring something that doesn’t require heating, then don’t bring anything at all.
5. Mary. Your kid’s dirty shoes and my clean sofa have never met. Let’s keep it that way.
6. If you are a meat-eater, try a vegetable for your health. If you are a vegetarian, try the stuffing for the bacon. Either way, you’ll be cured of what ails you.
7. If I see one grandchild doing that texting stuff, there will be no pie for dessert. If I see one parent checking email… scratch that – new rule. Leave your cell phone in your car. They used to be called mobile phones for a reason. Now-a-days the only thing mobile about your phone is your thumbs. Trust me. Skinny thumbs and a fat ass are not a good look.
8. Jonathan. How a Republican ended up in this family is beyond me, but we love you all the same. That said, Reagan is dead darling. Get over it.
9. I cooked the meal. Your grandfather paid for it. You can clean the kitchen and we’ll call it even.
10. Honestly, if you insist on bringing anything, bring some butter. I go through about 20 sticks to get this meal on the table and I might as well start stocking up for Christmas now.
11. Marshall. I am sure you believe that your children sing beautifully. Don’t put me in a situation where I have to make you question your beliefs.
12. Grandpa Harold says if the Longhorns win, the bar is open. If they lose, the party is BYOB.

Legally Blonde/Legally Bound?

Just when I (almost) starting standing up for her a little bit, Carrie Prejean, the idiotic former Miss California who suddenly, out of nowhere became chief conductor of the cuckoo train, displayed this winner of an interview with Larry King. She has the audacity to call Larry King "inappropriate" and then just sits there like a MORON! See for yourself:

Her book is titled, Still Standing - I don't get it. Where's the pageant pun? Also, how is this title still available? I feel like this is a pre-packaged, go-to title for autobiographies - I guess I just answered my own question. I guess the more important question here is, how did she write a book and who cares enough about her to read it? I know millions are going to buy it, just like they did Sarah Palin's Nazi hockey mom manifesto, but I still can't help being shocked by stupid shit like this.

Carrie Prejean - Conservative, Nut-case Robot status = confirmed.

Weekly WTF?: Miss-representing California

I can't believe people hold events like this. I actually think Miss California was probably more moderate before the whole "gay marriage" hoopla. Now the right-wing has just sucked her in and she's totally gone whacko. It really is too bad. I mean, a year ago I was with everyone else who was vilifying her, but now I just sort of feel bad for the girl. Gay rights controversy + revelation of fake boobies + alleged sex tape = a ruined life.

Careful what you wish for.

So, did anyone go to this event last night? Let me know how it went. I'm dying to know. Those GWB and Bill Clinton lookalikes look pretty spot on. Lovin' the shades.

The Pitcher of Water Set Me Off

I just laughed for 10 minutes straight after seeing this. It's so stupid, but it cracked my shit up. Could it be that I didn't eat dinner last night and drank a little too much and still feel like I'm wasted? Perhaps.

A Lofty Speech, A Lofty Promise, and A Lofty Ultimatum

I've certainly given Barack Obama a hard time on my blog when it comes to his slow progress with gay rights, especially the discriminatory, completely obsolete "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy.

I will admit, it was refreshing to hear his speech to the Human Rights Campaign over the weekend. He basically confessed to doing an inadequate job (without saying those words exactly) and made a pretty clear promise that he would end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (by actually saying those words exactly). As far as I'm concerned, it truly is only a matter of time now - after a statement like that, if nothing moves on this policy he will lose support from gay groups and individuals across the nation with no chance of ever getting it back.

Schwarzenegger also signed a bill declaring each May 22 as Harvey Milk Day in California, the equality march drew thousands of people to DC, and I've been seeing a lot of positive movement on Referendum 71 up here in Seattle (the referendum that would basically make the "Everything, But Marriage" policy totally valid).

These things, they take time. But it's important to realize that they also take courage, solidarity and unwavering relentlessness. Indifference is inaction and inaction is insane. If you read my blog, are my friend or know me through some other arena, please understand that I mean this even at the risk of losing your readership or friendship - if you don't believe that I have the right to legitimate marriage, equal rights and equal recognition in the eyes of the law, then you don't believe in me.

There's no compromise on equality and no exceptions to discrimination. You can't love black people, except for that whole sharing water fountains thing. You can't love Jews, except for that whole don't believe in Jesus thing. And you can't love gays and lesbians, except for that whole marriage thing. If you don't let me show my love the same way you can, then you don't really love me. No exceptions.

Shoot (For) the Moon!!!

I'm sorry, but who approved $79 million of taxpayer money to bomb the moon? Rachel Maddow has more information below:



Dear population of Earth,

WHO EFFING CARES IF THERE'S WATER ON THE MOON!!!!????!?!?

Love,
Michael

A Slippery Slope to Becoming a Nazi

You may have already seen this, but I couldn't resist posting it.

Hawai'i Do You Smell So Bad?

Price of deodorant getting you down? (You never know.) Well, for those in Honolulu, it may be well worth the $3 or so to buy a stick; and not just for the aromatic side effects. Those running late for work who forget to apply some smelly goodness under their pitty-pits in the morning could be facing their own stinky dilemma: a fine to the tune of $500.

The Honolulu City Council is currently considering a bill that would essentially ban body odor on public transit. You heard me right. Not only could offenders get slapped with a $500 fine, some of the more serious offenders could potentially be facing jail time. That's right - neglect to use bars of soap and you'll be behind a different kind of bars altogether.

Now, as a part-time deodorant wearer (I'm convinced deodorant is bad for you, so I wear it like every other day depending on who I'm seeing or what I'm doing - don't judge), I'm not so sure how I feel about this. On one hand, I totally understand. When you're on a bus or subway car, you are in super close quarters with everyone and everything and every scent stands out. Someone who is seriously stinky really can ruin it for everyone. On the other hand, however, I see a serious problem with local government imposing laws governing how you must smell - this is crossing a serious line.

So what is a Stinky Stinkerson residing in Honolulu to do? I say if the law passes, everybody should stop wearing deodorant, stop showering and stop washing their clothes in protest. Arise, Honolulu odor anarchists, stand up for your rights - namely your right to smell like a gym sock if you want to. That's right Honoluluians (whatever), I'm encouraging you to incite a stink riot!

I seriously doubt that a law like this could pass today, but it wouldn't be the first time I "underestimated" the "system". After all, California did pass Proposition 8 and that, in my opinion, was just as ludicrous. If the law does pass, will it start a trend across the nation? What are the consequences of forbidding something natural like body odor? 20 years from now, will "public body odor" be the new "public peeing"? I guess we'll just have to wait and see... or smell.

Shame, Shame, Shame

"In court papers, the (Obama) administration said the appeals court ruled correctly in this case when it found that 'don't ask, don't tell' is 'rationally related to the government's legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.'"

Shame on you, Supreme Court justices.
Shame on you, Barack Obama.
Shame on you, Obama Administration.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090608/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_gays_military

"Nothing But the Truth"

In 2005, the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent, was exposed in the New York Times after her husband wrote an op-ed piece accusing the Bush Administration of manipulating intelligence in order to justify the invasion of Iraq. Judith Miller, a New York Times journalist, was the woman who had received this top-secret information from a source she refused to identify, leading to her incarceration for contempt of court. Her source later came forward and was revealed to be L. Scooter Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff.

Two nights ago, I rented a movie that used this real-life story as inspiration to create a thrilling fictional account of first amendment rights and the power of government. "Nothing But the Truth" stars Kate Beckinsale as journalist Rachel Armstrong. Rachel discovers through a top-secret source the identity of a CIA agent at the center of a government cover-up. Rachel and her editor-in-chief (played by Angela Basset) decide to publish a story revealing Erica van Doren (Vera Farmiga) to be a CIA agent who concluded that the Venezuelan government was not behind the assassination attempt of the President of the United States - a report that the government ignored in order to go forward with plans to bomb Venezuela in "retaliation" anyway (quite obviously for other political motives).

Once the story is published, Rachel is immediately taken into custody by the FBI and put on trial in front of a federal grand jury. She is asked to reveal her source, and she refuses, so she is jailed - a tactic used in order to get her to eventually reveal the identity of her source. The movie progresses by focusing on Rachel's time in jail and the consequences it has on her career, family and personal health.

I don't want to give too much away, but I must tell you that her source is in fact revealed in the end - and it is quite shocking. This is definitely a movie to rent. Why it was ignored by awards is beyond me. In fact, it only ever made it to limited release in the theaters.

Kate Beckinsale's performance is incredible - her subtle emotions, silent fortitude, flawless American accent (Beckinsale is English). I haven't seen her in many movies before. All I could remember was "Pearl Harbor" and I hated that movie, so that may have made her acting extra special to me here. Vera Farmiga as the outed CIA agent also proves to be quite the powerhouse. Feelings of confusion, anger and betrayal are all played out so well through her facial expressions and interactions with other key characters.

All in all, the movie is excellent. It tackles the idea of "principle" - how far is one person willing to go to protect another person or idea, just based on principle alone? Will they let it ruin their lives and if so is it worth it? Also, is the authority of the federal government and its ability to overrule a crucial national security issue or just an abuse of power?

What you think now may surprise you after seeing this excellent film.

Here is the movie's trailer:

I Guess That's What Marriage is About...

With all the brouhaha over marriage in the past few years and the obsession with defining it, many of us seem to have forgotten what marriage is in the first place. Yes, marriage is about law. Yes, sometimes marriage is about religion. It's true that marriage is even about equal rights. But, the core of marriage and what it means is much simpler than all of this.

I hope that one day, if I should ever have the legal right to marry, I will not choose to marry for tax breaks or to "take a stand", but I will choose to marry someone based on the basic concepts that Grover and Jesse discuss here:

WWFFD?

It is not uncommon to hear in typical right-wing commentary (read: obnoxious, illogical banter) phrases alluding to our founding fathers and their approval or disapproval of modern policy. In fact, it is practically a genuine last ditch, cop-out strategy. It's like they all sit in a room with a checklist of issues and the only criterium to be reviewed is "Would our founding fathers approve?" These people are exactly who we should look to today to form our country's modern, political agenda: old, white, DEAD guys from the 18th century.

If there is one strategy that is pulled more than the "FF Argument" however, it's the Christian Card. And when the two combine powers, it's like Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, Justin Timberlake and SNL - a winning combination - for the right wing folk.

The religious right have (time and time and TIME again!) said that they want our country to "return to the Christian principles on which it was founded."


One problem: our country wasn't founded on Christian principles. Our founding fathers were not Christians. They were DEISTS, meaning that while they believed in God, they did not necessarily believe in the Bible or Christianity. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, respected Jesus' moral lessons (in fact, he was pretty much a full-fledged Jesus scholar), but didn't subscribe to the belief that he was the son of God.

Let them speak for themselves.

Abraham Lincoln said, "The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma."

Yet, President Obama, who is often likened to Lincoln, must for some reason constantly reassure us he's a Christian in order to scrub the Hussein out of him to appease the American people. Further, if he wasn't a Christian, there's no way he would have been elected.

Thomas Jefferson's diss might be my favorite. It's so sassy! In my head, I see him snapping and turning on his heels after his impeccable delivery of "I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature. The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of a virgin will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."

Mystical? Fable? Nowadays, any US president would be called sacreligious, satanic and likely impeached for such words.

And there's more:

John Adams: "The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and... foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity."

This was our President! Somehow, when I make these points today, people stare at me with a look that shows me they're doing everything in their power to refrain from running to grab the rope.

James Madison: "During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and severity in the laity; in both superstition, bigotry, and persecution."

Makes us recall that America was founded by a bunch of people seeking freedom from religious persecution. Yet more than 200 years later, that idea has flipped and now we deny people rights based on what the Bible supposedly labels as sin.

And in case none of this was clear enough, I think George Washington (you know, the "father" of our country?) said it best: "The United States is in no sense founded upon the Christian doctrine."

Simple enough.

The problem here seems to just be simple miscommunication. The right has somehow equated belief in God as being Christian. The founding fathers did believe in God. In fact, you will find many references to God in many of their writings and speeches. However, while they may have believed in God, as stated earlier, they were also Deists and believed the Bible NOT to be true and certainly never intended for it to govern our country.

So what does this all mean? To be frank, any argument against modern values that uses the founding fathers is flawed, God or no God. It's also important to remember that many of our founding fathers were also racist, elitist bastards. I guess the whole point of this is don't believe everything you hear. We get told things in school, on TV, from our parents, and too often we automatically just believe them to be true. That's how things get out of hand and lies become truth. So listen and do your own damn research... and if you're going to use the founding fathers as a beacon for what's right and good about America, at least know what you're talking about.