I recently posted concerning Mitt Romney and his inability to separate his politics from his religious beliefs.
He proved that he may very well be in the pocket of church authorities when he recently wrote to Senators encouraging them to vote yes on the Federal Marriage Amendment right in time with letters from Church authorities.
But the church won't run the country if Mitt is elected? Maybe not officially, but its policies are intircately woven into his policies...so read up here and decide for yourself if you're willing to have Mormon dogma on Pennsylvania Avenue.
6.12.2006
6.09.2006
Political Ploys run Amok
It's election season. You can smell it in the air. And even if I didn't have a calendar to tell me we're only 4 months and 28 days from the 7th of November, I could tell you it's election season, and here's why:
Orrin Hatch has brought up the perennial flag-burning amendment. AGAIN. I think deep down in his heart, he knows it's an assault on free-speech and freedom as a whole, but it gets his conservative Utah base fired up, so he keeps pushing it...at the opportune times before elections.
Gay marriage is at the forefront. We haven't heard much about it since 2004, but it somehow got Bush his second term, so other Republicans are looking at it as a way to divert attention from failings in Iraq, Katrina, sub-par health care, the huge national debt, and deep-rooted corruption, so they bring it up again, trying to throw right-wing Christians into a frenzy, while fair-minded people everywhere roll their eyes as the real issues get pushed aside.
Politicians have already started kissing babies! Figuratively speaking. "We have to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment because it's about children!" "We have to repeal the estate (or cleverly worded "death") tax for children!" "We have to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for our children!" Funny that in the off-years, more school and child-geared programs get funding cuts. Or in Utah, more poor children don't have dental care in favor of a parking complex. But we should definitely give millionaire children a break! Particularly Bob Bennett's. That's right folks, it's all about children when using that frame of reference will get you elected. Otherwise, forget them! Let them make their own way!
Wedge issues, wedge issues, everywhere! In a word: Immigration. Everybody has a "hard-line" stance, but few have real solutions. As it has been with other favorite wedges: abortion, health care, Social Security, gay marriage. Politicians love to tell you they stand with you on your side of the issue, without really telling you what they're going to do about it. And usually, they end up doing the opposite of what they promised.
That's right, it's election season, and trying to see through the spin to what folks really stand for gets tiring...I suppose that's why people vote right down the Republican or Democratic ticket. It's hard to really see who a person is when they're running for office.
Orrin Hatch has brought up the perennial flag-burning amendment. AGAIN. I think deep down in his heart, he knows it's an assault on free-speech and freedom as a whole, but it gets his conservative Utah base fired up, so he keeps pushing it...at the opportune times before elections.
Gay marriage is at the forefront. We haven't heard much about it since 2004, but it somehow got Bush his second term, so other Republicans are looking at it as a way to divert attention from failings in Iraq, Katrina, sub-par health care, the huge national debt, and deep-rooted corruption, so they bring it up again, trying to throw right-wing Christians into a frenzy, while fair-minded people everywhere roll their eyes as the real issues get pushed aside.
Politicians have already started kissing babies! Figuratively speaking. "We have to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment because it's about children!" "We have to repeal the estate (or cleverly worded "death") tax for children!" "We have to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for our children!" Funny that in the off-years, more school and child-geared programs get funding cuts. Or in Utah, more poor children don't have dental care in favor of a parking complex. But we should definitely give millionaire children a break! Particularly Bob Bennett's. That's right folks, it's all about children when using that frame of reference will get you elected. Otherwise, forget them! Let them make their own way!
Wedge issues, wedge issues, everywhere! In a word: Immigration. Everybody has a "hard-line" stance, but few have real solutions. As it has been with other favorite wedges: abortion, health care, Social Security, gay marriage. Politicians love to tell you they stand with you on your side of the issue, without really telling you what they're going to do about it. And usually, they end up doing the opposite of what they promised.
That's right, it's election season, and trying to see through the spin to what folks really stand for gets tiring...I suppose that's why people vote right down the Republican or Democratic ticket. It's hard to really see who a person is when they're running for office.
6.02.2006
6.01.2006
Surprise, Surprise
Apparently Utah isn't doing so well when it comes to reproductive and gay rights. Big surprise?
But then, it depends on which side of the argument you're on. A ranking of 43 out of 50 is dismal to those of us who believe in the rights an individual should have to choose who they marry and when they have children.
But, Gayle Ruzicka is thrilled. Well, also a little disappointed that Utah wasn't rated dead last. That's LAST Gayle, not first.
It baffles me that people are fighting so hard to restrict the rights and freedoms each American should enjoy. It baffles me that they're fighting to restrict sex education so they can leave a legacy of ignorance, unwanted pregnancies and disease. It baffles me that they think a sixteen-year-old girl should get her father's permission to abort a child that may very well be his own.
But then, when has Utah not baffled me?
But then, it depends on which side of the argument you're on. A ranking of 43 out of 50 is dismal to those of us who believe in the rights an individual should have to choose who they marry and when they have children.
But, Gayle Ruzicka is thrilled. Well, also a little disappointed that Utah wasn't rated dead last. That's LAST Gayle, not first.
It baffles me that people are fighting so hard to restrict the rights and freedoms each American should enjoy. It baffles me that they're fighting to restrict sex education so they can leave a legacy of ignorance, unwanted pregnancies and disease. It baffles me that they think a sixteen-year-old girl should get her father's permission to abort a child that may very well be his own.
But then, when has Utah not baffled me?
5.31.2006
Ban Mormon Marriage!
Maybe we should start a blogswarm.
Stenar, on his Bloglet, makes some very good points. Read more. There are many forms of "non-traditional" marriage out there.
Let's apply the "slippery-slope" argument the other way. Suppose they ban gay marriage, then Mormon marriage, then outdoor weddings, then JOP weddings, and soon you can only get married by a white male Baptist preacher in a church in Louisiana. Hey folks, once you start restricting freedom and start taking away rights, what stops you from taking away more and more and justifying it in the name of God?
Soon you won't be able to get child tax credits unless you have the church-mandated seven kids, and any divorced family...wait, I take that back. Divorce isn't the real threat to marriage and family...gays are. Right. Sorry about that.
Maybe the Sutherland Institute will have it's way and no one will have a real family unless the wife stays home, barefoot and pregnant with the latest addition to the quiver, and the husband works hard to provide for the roost. I'm sure the extreme right wing is thinking this would be a good thing. But why should this group of people define the morals and values for the rest of the country.
Middle Americans need to stand up and say that an attack on anyone's rights is an attack on their own. After all, who's to say it won't be them next?
Stenar, on his Bloglet, makes some very good points. Read more. There are many forms of "non-traditional" marriage out there.
Let's apply the "slippery-slope" argument the other way. Suppose they ban gay marriage, then Mormon marriage, then outdoor weddings, then JOP weddings, and soon you can only get married by a white male Baptist preacher in a church in Louisiana. Hey folks, once you start restricting freedom and start taking away rights, what stops you from taking away more and more and justifying it in the name of God?
Soon you won't be able to get child tax credits unless you have the church-mandated seven kids, and any divorced family...wait, I take that back. Divorce isn't the real threat to marriage and family...gays are. Right. Sorry about that.
Maybe the Sutherland Institute will have it's way and no one will have a real family unless the wife stays home, barefoot and pregnant with the latest addition to the quiver, and the husband works hard to provide for the roost. I'm sure the extreme right wing is thinking this would be a good thing. But why should this group of people define the morals and values for the rest of the country.
Middle Americans need to stand up and say that an attack on anyone's rights is an attack on their own. After all, who's to say it won't be them next?
5.30.2006
Live Where you Work
In Plato's Cave, the newbie Tribune blog, writer George Pyle posted on Utah, suburbs, highways, and living sustainably. I wanted to give a hat tip to a good and obvious idea that many Utahns tend to overlook. Live where you work.
Unfortunately, in our recent home purchase, the logistics of that were a little harder to work out. You see, I work downtown, but my partner works in the Fort Union area. So, we could live close to one or the other but be many miles from one or the other at the same time.
So, we compromised. We found a home in the middle, slightly closer to downtown and on a bus route. So, since my partner drives a scooter, we use less gas because I can catch the bus or, if I could ever get up on time, ride my bike to work...a mere 30 blocks from home.
And in the future, maybe when my partner gets into the police force, we can move closer to downtown. I am not afraid of living in a neighborhood where life doesn't stop at 6 pm.
Unfortunately, in our recent home purchase, the logistics of that were a little harder to work out. You see, I work downtown, but my partner works in the Fort Union area. So, we could live close to one or the other but be many miles from one or the other at the same time.
So, we compromised. We found a home in the middle, slightly closer to downtown and on a bus route. So, since my partner drives a scooter, we use less gas because I can catch the bus or, if I could ever get up on time, ride my bike to work...a mere 30 blocks from home.
And in the future, maybe when my partner gets into the police force, we can move closer to downtown. I am not afraid of living in a neighborhood where life doesn't stop at 6 pm.
5.26.2006
Hiatus
Hello folks. I haven't been able to blog much lately because my second job, upcoming housewarming party, and novel-writing aspirations have sucked up all of my time. I apologize for the slowing of entries for those of you who may return looking for them (all one or two of you...or maybe none).
I did want to make an announcement! My partner and I, after three and a half years of our relationship and over a year and a half since we got engaged, have finally set a date for a commitment ceremony and send-off reception here in Utah and a real marriage in Canada! Here's to September 22 and 26th, 2007!
I already bought a dress...I suppose thinking and dreaming about the wedding has taken up even more of my time than any of the above mentioned things.
By the way, my partner is amazing...she has painted, fixed and cleaned our house until I love it more than I ever thought I would.
Oh, and apartments suck. Ours charged us $938 for cleaning and carpet. Warning: DO NOT LIVE IN BIG APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
Case in point-before moving to this particular complex, we lived in a six story building in downtown SLC. We broke our lease because we lived on the sixth floor, my partner's knee went out, and the elevator kept dying. And the landlord gave us every penny of our deposit back. Big apartment complexes just don't care...they're like Walmart or other big faceless companies...they just want your money. Trust me folks, the pool and fitness room are NOT worth it. You probably won't use them that much anyway.
Anyway, I plan on continuing my little hiatus at least through this weekend, after which I think I might come out to LaVarr Webb. He doesn't think that being an anonymous blogger is acceptable. Or at least that anonymous bloggers shouldn't be taken as seriously as those that post their names front and center. I think I'll spend the weekend pondering this move, and I'll let you know sometime next week.
I did want to make an announcement! My partner and I, after three and a half years of our relationship and over a year and a half since we got engaged, have finally set a date for a commitment ceremony and send-off reception here in Utah and a real marriage in Canada! Here's to September 22 and 26th, 2007!
I already bought a dress...I suppose thinking and dreaming about the wedding has taken up even more of my time than any of the above mentioned things.
By the way, my partner is amazing...she has painted, fixed and cleaned our house until I love it more than I ever thought I would.
Oh, and apartments suck. Ours charged us $938 for cleaning and carpet. Warning: DO NOT LIVE IN BIG APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
Case in point-before moving to this particular complex, we lived in a six story building in downtown SLC. We broke our lease because we lived on the sixth floor, my partner's knee went out, and the elevator kept dying. And the landlord gave us every penny of our deposit back. Big apartment complexes just don't care...they're like Walmart or other big faceless companies...they just want your money. Trust me folks, the pool and fitness room are NOT worth it. You probably won't use them that much anyway.
Anyway, I plan on continuing my little hiatus at least through this weekend, after which I think I might come out to LaVarr Webb. He doesn't think that being an anonymous blogger is acceptable. Or at least that anonymous bloggers shouldn't be taken as seriously as those that post their names front and center. I think I'll spend the weekend pondering this move, and I'll let you know sometime next week.
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