My optimistic return

So, I haven't posted in a really long time. And I sort of accepted that my blogging days were over, just given the complete lack of time that I have to do anything aside from school work, regular work... and sleeping. However, I really missed it, so I think I'm going to start it up again.

Yesterday's election was really what inspired me to return to the blogosphere. (I can't believe I actually just used that word.)

I am upset about Bloomberg winning and I'm upset about Christie winning. Bloomberg's abuse of the system to gain a third term is inexcusable and Christie stands opposite my views on almost every issue there is. But, more disappointing than that was hearing that Maine residents voted to reject a law to legalize same-sex marriage. Had they voted to keep it, it would have been the first time gay marriage triumphed due to a popular vote. But alas, we lost and the law legalizing same-sex marriage was rejected.

So, clearly, I'm upset and I'm angry. The culmination of all these setbacks are really frustrating and disheartening. I didn't think it could get any worse than Prop 8 and the disgusting fear-mongering tactics used by the defend marriage campaign. But yesterday's vote just added to the setbacks from last years election.

However, despite the fact that I'm upset and disappointed, I think it's really important to note that although the media is focusing on this loss as a huge loss for the GLBT movement, I would disagree. Marriage is but ONE goal of the gay liberation movement, at least for me. Although the media rarely reports on victories unrelated to marriage or hate-crimes laws (which are of course, really important)... that doesn't mean there aren't any.

This movement, although moving forward, is undoubtedly going to be met with opposition. And because of that opposition, we are going to have our setbacks. But what's important is to focus on the victories... and within the past few weeks, there have been a few.

1. First of all, the Ricketts family is now the owner of the MLB Cubs. This is important because Laura Ricketts, one of the owners is openly gay. She has served on the board of Lambda Legal (which fights for gay marriage) and has been very open about her sexuality. Professional sports are infamously known for being extremely homophobic so I think this is a tremendous step in awareness and hopefully, inclusion.

2. Secondly, there was another victory in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The openly gay mayoral candidate, Mark Kleinschmidt won the election and has become the third openly gay mayor in the state. I had no idea (previous to reading about Kleinschmitd) that there had been any other gay mayors in North Carolina, so all in all, this was a pleasant surprise.

3. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, an anti-discrimination law was passed to protect the LGBT community. Gender identity and sexual orientation were added to the 1866 anti-discrimination ordinance.

4. And let us not forget, the greatest victory of all - the passing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act signed into law by Obama on October 28th. What's most important is that this bill was introduced EIGHT years ago. It has failed over and over and over again until this year. To add to the victory, Obama has designated 5 million dollars to the Justice Department to help investigate hate crimes.


So, yes, yesterday's vote in Maine was a huge upset. As are all of the losses. But for every loss, it's really important that we consider the victories, however small they may be.

One step back... many steps forward.

I guess I shouldn't still be shocked... but I am.

Shame on all of you discriminatory, homophobic, selfish, fear mongering, WEAK people for supporting to uphold a bill based on pure prejudice and hatred.

I wasn't alive during the civil rights movement, but I can imagine what that must have felt like. To be hated, feared and blamed for NOTHING. I am thankful to know that we have moved past that (for the most part)) and we can look back at those racist, horrible people and laugh at their stupidity and feel okay disrespecting them for their discrimination and the great, great harm and hurt they caused so many people. I cannot wait to look back at all of these homophobic fools once we've achieved victory (and there are so many victories we have yet to achieve). I cannot WAIT to look back and know they lost and laugh in their faces.

Go to PROTECT MARRIAGE DOT COM. and take a good look at the people who will eventually be proven dead, dead wrong. I cannot wait to see the unsuspecting fear and shame on their faces. I hope their children, grand children and great grand children give them the hell they deserve.

This country, as fucked up as it can be, WILL move through this. I know that. But shit, the extent to which I just want to lock all these people up in the stupidity and selfish jail is extraordinary. But I suppose responding to stupidity with stupidity isn't the greatest of solutions.

Oh, spring.

I cannot believe that year after year, I keep forgetting how happy spring makes me feel. I am motivated to do more (ie take adventures exploring new places in amsterdam), eat better, relax more and stress out less... it feels great.

Realizing that has made me seriously consider moving permanently to a area that's warm all of the time. I mean, I like the cold weather for two reasons - 1. The snow. I think snow is beautiful... but unfortunately, I don't live in a place where it snows all the time. 2. I like that it's cold and snowy for Christmas season... but after a week of the snow and the cold it just stops being enjoyable. So really, wherever I live I can always go somewhere cold for the holidays... I don't have to live in that weather for half of the year. So where would I want to live? I'd want to pick somewhere that doesn't get too hot and doesn't get too cold. Two words: San Francisco. Done and done.

In other news, I finished a terrific book today, Inside Greek U., by Alan D. DeSantis.



I read it as research for my paper that's going to be about masculinity (and gender) in elite sororities and fraternities in America. Reading it actually made me realize I wanted to change the approach to my paper a bit because I think the point I was going to prove has already been proven, by more than one person... so I feel like I need to include at least something I "discovered" on my own. We'll see.


Oh, and I would like to include this little video I stumbled upon today that seriously annoyed me... not just because of the ridiculous woman arguing against gay marriage because it will "affect and harm everyone", but also because I don't see how educated adults still think it's practical to speak on top of one another and expect any of their points to be heard and/or understood.



First of all, Joe Solmonese is a great guy and I know he has a somewhat "political" (in the sense that he must act and answer a certain way to avoid scrutiny from the (at times, very wealthy) supporters of his organization)... but his answers and debate points sucked.

If adoption agencies refuse to let gay couples adopt from their organization and churches refuse to marry a gay couples... then I'm sorry, but if you want to be supported by the government then your "institution", whatever it may be, must coincide with the legal advances of the time. Respect for religion is completely unrelated and in fact, whether it be religion or anything else for that matter... if it leads to discrimination or reinforces a tradition of that discrimination, then it should not be an entity supported by the national Government. What if a school just said hey, sorry, we don't accept black children because our religion says it's a sin to be black and we want to run this school on the basis of our religion... then I'm sorry, but that school would not be given financial or any other kind of assistance from the government, nor should it. (Unfortunately, the government still supports institutions that I consider to be discriminatory and outdated but supporting gay marriage is, I believe, an important step needed not only in the fight for equality but also may start to be the beginning of a more world-wide awareness about the severe negative aspects surrounding religion - specifically orthodox and/or fundamental sects.)

That lady is right - gay marriage will affect everyone. Just like emancipating the slaves affected everyone, or when women were given the right to vote; when couples of mixed race were given the right to marry... etc, etc. It WILL affect everyone and it damn well should.