Whatever Happened to Liberty and Justice for All?

Tonight, as I'm sitting here, catching up on my world news, I came across the page Americans for Truth about Homosexuals. The obvious bigotry and hatred is just sickening. There are a number of different articles ranging from an interview with an "ex-gay" who talks about his experience and tells people that no one is born gay. Then there are articles talking about how homosexuals "target" Christians, and how the family that refused to let a gay couple have their civil ceremony at their bed and breakfast because they were gay were being persecuted, etc. Basically, they are trying to villify the homosexual population in order to promote their own beliefs. And they wonder why people label them as "hateful".

My question is, with all of the other issues in the world to worry about, why pick on the gays and lesbians? Why is this nation trying SO HARD to control what they can and cannot do? They're not hurting anyone, and if they had the same rights everyone else did, they wouldn't be affecting anyone's lives but their own. They are normal human beings who just happen to like people of the same gender. All they want is to have the same rights that the rest of the heterosexual nation has. They want to be free to love and be with, and BE MARRIED TO whoever THEY choose to, not the person that SOCIETY says they should be with.

I don't see anything wrong with that. Just because the religious population doesn't approve doesn't mean it's wrong, just like the fact that millions of people share the same ridiculous beliefs doesn't make them true. Once upon a time, millions of people believed in Ra, Zeus, sea monsters and the-earth-is-flat. Religion is truly the opiate of the masses, created by educated men to control the less educated. Nothing inspires fear as much as believing in eternal torture if you're not "good" and live by "the rules". If you notice, the rules set up in religions are impossible to follow 100% of the time. This is to ensure that people remain in a constantly fearful and penitant state. And don't even get me started on the religious leaders. He who talks to god, controls the masses. Just look at the Pope, or really any major religious figure. I mean people really BELIEVED Joseph Smith. No one stopped to say, "Hey, that doesn't sound quite right to me...let me figure this out before I just take your word for it? So you mean to tell me that this angel just happened to appear to you and only you when no one else was around and gave you these special books that were "accidentally" destroyed, but refuses to replicate those oh so very important words because now he's mad? Something just doesn't sound right about that..."

But I digress...

I could go on and on about the dangers and absurdity of religion, but I was talking about the hatred towards homosexuality. People have gotten it into their minds that gays and lesbians are somehow sexual deviants that can't control themselves or they are going to somehow "turn" straight people gay and that is all just stupidly ridiculous. I have known quite a few very lovely people who are gay, and they are just people trying to live their lives. Just as not every man or woman is attracted to every single woman or man that walks by, not every gay person is "after" every person of the same gender that walks by.

Seriously, come on people. We're all human. And if you're worried about the population, let me tell you...the population is fine. There are plenty of parentless babies out there that need good homes and plenty of sperm donors and egg donors. Not to mention, there are plenty of women who should never reproduce that keep popping them out like bunnies, then can't or won't take care of them.

So quit being so close-minded and just plain mean. You can't help who you fall in love with, and whether they are the same gender or the opposite gender, it shouldn't matter. Keep your bigotry to yourself and let people that are harming no one live their lives the way that THEY see fit.

Choices...

 I'm sitting here watching this program on tv called "Beyond Scared Straight", and as I watch these young kids experiencing a day in the life of a convict, I can't help but feel some sadness and contempt. Sadness that kids that young are doing shit that puts their futures in jeapordy, and contempt for the reasons WHY they claim that they are throwing their lives away. Some say that they're acting out due to parent's constant fighting, or divorce, or they were abused, etc. The list goes on and on.

What I have to say to that is that it's a load of shit and a bad copout. Shit happens, life happens, it sucks, buck up, put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

There are plenty of people that have had bad lives and manage to go through life without landing in jail. I know, because I'm one of them. I've been abused, I've been raped, and I've been through shit that would break a weaker person. I'll admit, I lost myself in a bottle for awhile, and I lived recklessly and stupidly for a while and then I picked myself up and pulled myself of out. But I never did stupid shit that would land me in prison or even jail.  I never started stealing or assaulting people or any of that other stupid shit.

It's all about choices. People CHOOSE to be who they are and they CHOOSE to involve themselves in these things. I'm not talking about kids growing up in the ghetto who roll with gangs because they are trying to survive to adulthood. I think the gang mentality is stupid and unnecessary, but it's a reality that exists. That's a choice too. If they chose not to be part of a gang and do illegal things, then there would be no gangs or gang-related problems. The only real point for these kids to join a gang is acceptance and protection. That's one group of people less to harrass them. Banding together for protection is a natural animal instinct, but these idiots take it too far and dream up all sorts of other activities because they are broke and bored, they think it's how you gain respect, they think it makes them look cool, or they're just plain mean.

I guess the base of what I'm trying to say is take responsibility for your own actions. Stop blaming your parents and the world around you for your actions. Yes, life is hard. Yes most of us go through really bad shit. The people in your life, and your parents can really fuck up your mind and your self-image, but ultimately, YOU are responsible for YOUR actions. You can deal with it, and move past it, or you can piss your life away. Not saying it's going to be easy, because it's never easy, but it's all about choice. So what's your choice going to be?

Links Blog

This blog will be for any interesting links that I happen across. I'll update it as I can/need to. If you have any interesting links pertaining to these subjects that you would like to share, feel free to drop them here as well!

A web serial novel about life under a christian fundamentalist government. Very interesting read.
 http://www.sitezero.org/defaultRP.asp

A lecture by renowned physicist Lawrence Krauss on the universe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ImvlS8PLIo

The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason
http://richarddawkins.net/

Freedom from Religion Foundation
http://ffrf.org/

The Thinking Atheist
http://thethinkingatheist.com/index.html

Truthout News
http://truthout.org/

American Atheists
http://www.atheists.org/
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. A must-read...
http://macroevolution.narod.ru/delusion/delusion.htm

Parents or Superheros? You decide...

I have a theory...PARENTS of young children are the basis for most superheroes. Take into account all of the superpowers that they possess.

There is super-hearing, enabling us to hear what our kids are doing all the way across the house, yet it is finely attuned, allowing us to ignore that obnoxious Barney or Elmo doll that they got for Christmas while still allowing us to hear squalls of pain or the sounds of an ensuing argument; X-ray and 360 degree vision, enabling us to see what they're up to, even if we're in a different room or have our back turned. Then, there's super-strength, allowing us to juggle a kid, a diaper bag and a basket of laundry up the stairs while another kid is clinging to our leg and the dog is trying to trip us.

We can move faster than a speeding bullet-when something is about to break, or the child is about to fall off of the bunk bed/chair/roof/other high and dangerous object that we told them not to climb on in the first place. We have ninja skills, appearing and disappearing noiselessly when our children least expect it, and catching objects flying through the air without even looking at them.

Also telepathic skills, allowing us to quickly rein in a rambuctious child with a single glance. And if that fails, for whatever reason, there is the sonic boom voice that will easily carry over a roomful of screaming 7 year olds in the middle of Chuck E. Cheeses'.

Extra arms and the ability to levitate objects would be nice though...

To all of my friends...

When you are sad,............. I will get you drunk and help you
plot revenge against the scum sucking bastard who made you sad.

When you are blue.......... I'll try to dislodge whatever's choking you.

When you smile............ I'll know you finally got laid.

When you are scared......... I will rag you about it every chance I get.

When you are worried......... I will tell you horrible stories
about how much worse it could be and to quit whining.

When you are confused........ I will use little words to explain
it to your dumb ass.

When you are sick....... Stay away from me until you're well again,
I don't want whatever you have.

When you fall...... I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

This is my oath............... I pledge till the end, why you may ask?........ Because you're my friend.

A Walk on the Lighter Side...The Essential Pablo Neruda.

 These are two of my favorite Pablo Neruda poems. Not a huge romantic, but I do love this man's work. I will put them up in both Spanish and English for those who don't read Spanish.

No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego: te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuratas, secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.

Te amo cono la planta que no florece y lleva dentro de si, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores, y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo el apretado aroma que ascendio de la tierra.

Te amo sin saber como, ni cuando, mi de donde, te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo: asi te amo porque no se amar de otra manera, sino asi de este modo en que no soy ni eres, tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mia, tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueno.

I don't love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz, or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as one loves certain obscure things, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom but carries the light of those flowers, hidden, within itself, and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose from the earth lives dimly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you directly without problems or pride: I love you like this becasue I don't know any other way to love, except in this form in which I am not nor are you, so close that your hand upon my chest is mine, so close that your eyes close with my dreams.

Puedo escribir los versos mas tristes esta noche.
Escribir por ejemplo: "La noche esta estrellada, y tiritan, azules, los astros, a lo lejos".
El viento de la noche gira en el cielo y canta.
Puedo escribir los cersos mas tristes esta noche. Yo la quise, y a veces ella tambien me quiso.
En las noches como esta la tuve entre mis brazos. La bese tantas veces bajo el cielo infinito.
Ella me quisa, a veces ya tambien la queria. Como no haber amado sus grandes ojos fijos.
Puedo escribir los versos mas tristes esta noche. Pensar que no la tengo. Sentir que la he perdido.
Oir la noche inmensa, mas inmensa sin ella. Y el verso cae al alma cono al paso el rocio.
Que importa que mi amor no pudiera quardarla. La noche esta estrellada y ella no esta conmigo.
Eso es todo. A lo lejos alguien canta. A lo lejos. Mi alma no se contenta con heberla perdido.
Como para acercarla mi mirada la busca, Mi corazon la busca, y ella no esta monmigo.
La misma noche que hace blanquear los mismos arboles. Nosotros, los de entonces, ya no somos los mismos.
Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero cuanto la quise. Mi voz buscaba el viento para tocar su oido.
De otro. Sera de otro. Como antes de mis besos. Su voz, su cuerpo claro. Sus ojos infinitos.
Ya no la quiero, es cierto, pero tal vez la quiero. Es tan corto el amor, y es tan largo el olvido.
Porque en noches como esta la tuve entre mis brazos, mi alma no se contenta con haberla perdido.
Aunque este sea el ultimo dolor que ella me causa, y estos sean los ultimos verso que yo le escribo.

I can write the saddest verses tonight.
Write, for example, "The night is full of stars, twinkling blue, in the distance."
The night wind spins in the sky and sings.
I can write the saddest verses tonight. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
On nights like this I held her in my arms. I kissed her so many times beneath the infinite sky.
She loved me, at times I loved her too. How not to have loved her great still eyes.
I can write the saddest verses tonight. To think that I don't have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, more immense without her. And the verse falls onto my soul like dew onto grass.
What difference that my love could not keep her. The night is full of stars, and she is not with me.
That's all. In the distance, someone sings. In the distance. My soul is not at peace with having lost her.
As if to bring her closer, my gaze searches for her, My heart searches for her, and she is not with me.
The same night that whitens the same trees. We, of then, now are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, it's true, but how much I loved her. My voice searched for the wind that would touch her ear.
Another's. She will be another's. As before my kisses. Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, it's true, but maybe I lvoe her. Love is so short, and forgetting is so long.
Because on nights like this I held her in my arms, my soul is not at peace with having lost her.
Though this may be the final sorrow she causes me, and these the last verses I write for her.

Attacks on Planned Parenthood

 This page is going to be for discussion and rants on whatever topic happens to set me off that day. :-) I invite everyone to share their opinions, and all I ask is that you be respectful of everyone who does. No name-calling, trash-talking etc. unless the person it's directed at happens to be your best friend or someone famous (like Sarah Palin).

 I used to have a bunch of notes on my other page, but when I decided to move everything over here, they got lost. So...bye bye notes. Anyway, once I'm not sick, and can focus on something other than how much my body hurts, I will start throwing branches on the fire. In the meantime, I hope everyone is well, and to the new members of my page I say-welcome!
Ok,so I'm going to start this off here. As it turns out, there are just not enough hours in the day. Anyway, certain Republicans are trying to do away with funding for Planned Parenthood. Of course this idiocy was suggested by a republican male. I don't think that these people really think these things through from any viewpoint except their own warped perception before trying to push them through. They are so set on their own agenda that they don't take all of the factors into consideration.

Planned Parenthood is a very important organization in the U.S. since it provides not only birth control, but also women's health screenings, breast cancer screenings, and cervical cancer screenings. To cut their funding would do away with healthcare for so many women. They prevent over 600,000 unwanted pregnancies a year, and to cut them out would raise the number of unplanned preganancies, as well as the number of STDs and abortions. While I think that abortion is acceptable under certain circumstances, I don't think that it should be used as a method of birth control, and if women don't have access to contraceptives, then they will turn to more extreme measures to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

These kinds of bills are recommended by religious zealots who are trying to push their own ideals onto the population of the United States. Fortunately, there are still enough people that have equal power with the common sense to veto them. It's a never-ending battle to maintain the rights that we still have, and to gain rights for those that don't have them. Hopefully, in the end, reason will prevail, although the words "reason" and "government" rarely make it into the same sentence.