Don't Ask Don't Lie

The year is 2010 and we are still discussing the service of Gay people in the military? Call me crazy but I had dreamed of a world that no longer discriminated against others. I still meet people that are filled with hate and are homophobes. This is of course going to end up as a low information voter issue. The local churches are already getting cranked up and telling their congregations that the President is the anti-Christ because he is going to repeal the don't ask, don't tell policy for the armed forces. I have been approached by several church members that were using this talking point. My response was that the President is going to repeal the policy and he should. How can we continue to discriminate and support policies that do. There have always been gay men and women that have served in the military and unless all the haters are willing to take their places, then we need to use some common sense here and hold our tongues. Support the troops...except for the gay ones I suppose is the war cry of the right wing. I deeply believe that many of the religious leaders condone and support hate and hate crimes against the homosexual community. This falls into the category of creating a common enemy to rally the forces against. I have heard too any pastors and church members make fun of homosexuals and wink at the violence that takes place. If the truth was known, many of the men and women that speak so loudly against the gay community, probably struggle with homosexual urges as well. You may keep any feelings that you want and if you do not believe in gay marriage, don't marry a gay person but how can we continue to deny equal rights to all people?

The South

What comes to mind when you think of the South? For many southerners, the South is not properly defined. There are portions of the Deep South where the people consider you to be a Yankee if you live where it snows. I have tried to compile a short list of what most people would agree to be Southern States and what they are famous for. As you read, feel free to comment and leave your thoughts as to what comes to mind when you think of the South.
Virginia- Many Southerners below North Carolina do not even think of Virginia as a Southern State. Virginia is home to more US Presidents than any other state. Also as the bumper sticker says, Virginia is for Lovers.
North Carolina- For certain, we can almost all agree that North Carolina is a part of the South. The Wright Brothers come to mind as well as barbecue. They also play a little college basketball here.
Tennessee- College football gets the people of this state moving. Also known for Mountain living and Mountain music as well as the Blues.
South Carolina- I call it the buckle of the Bible belt. We are a state that does not like anyone telling us what to do. Known for having churches on every corner and a rebel attitude. Golf is king especially on the coast and people travel from far and wide to take advantage. Also the low country Shrimp and Grits are to die for.
Georgia- Also known for college football. Peaches are big time and the prettiest ladies are also called Georgia Peaches. I also have to mention Jimmy Carter, a very under rated President and Good Man.
Alabama- I know this gets old but also a famous College football state, Bear Bryant, need I say more? Also known as the heart of Dixie and the rocket capital of the world.
Mississippi- The Magnolia State. Home of the Blues and birthplace of Elvis. Old Southern Plantation homes can still be seen here. Catfish farming is a big business as well.
Arkansas- Hogs, both basketball and football are college traditions here. The Natural State. The Arkansas River as well. Sam Walton hailed from this state and we all know where that went. I also have to mention another of my favorite people, Bill Clinton. Although vilified by the right wing and Jerry Fallwell, he endured and history will show that he was a brilliant leader and took the American Economy to wealth and prosperity during his time in office.
Louisiana- Cajun life, Who dat? New Orleans Saints, world champions. The Mississippi river is more famous here than in its namesake. The French Quarter is world renown. Site of perhaps one of America’s biggest natural tragedies. The Government response to the Hurricane will forever be looked at in a horrific light. Craw fish Capital of the World. The first American army to have African American soldiers.
Texas- Everything is big there. Long Horn cattle and football. The Alamo. The Lone Star State. Mexican food famous around the globe. I won’t go into grand detail because there are folks that consider Texas more Western than Southern.
Florida- Although Deep South, is not claimed as such by some because of the large populations of Northerners…I.E. Yankees as well as the Cubans. Known for warm temperatures, golfing, the Gulf of Mexico with great fishing. Beautiful water and white sandy beaches. Everglades and gators both in the water and on the football field. I know, Florida State and Miami and a whole host of other teams. This is the richest talent pool for high school football in the world.

This list is brief and debatable but the point is, the South has much to offer and although it seems at times that I walk as a stranger among friends and relatives based upon my political beliefs, my hope is that we can find common ground above the political fray. We can all have or opinions but not offer judgment upon those that we disagree with. May we not make others into enemies based on radical talk shoes and ideas that are feed into us at church or on the radio? Comment freely and add your thoughts on what the South means to you.

Beer Goggles

I know we have all heard of the term Beer Goggles. Typically it is applied to people that drink and loose perspective as to the real appearance of the opposite sex. You go home with Megan Fox and wake up with Roseane Barr or for the ladies, you go home with George Clooney and wake up beside Danny Devito. I think this same phenomenon applies to the Republican Party as of late. I have wondered why the Republican folks that I know can in good faith, believe and spread all of the lies and mis-information? The only sensible conclusion can be that they are so proud to be in the Republican Party and a part of what they believe in that they simply can not see the true appearance of those that they follow and listen to. I'm not saying that the conservatives think that they are sleeping with Ann Coulter and then wake up to Rush Limbaugh although some might argue that they are both dudes. I am saying that they have been taught that the end justifies the means. In other words, if you believe that there is an evil...Liberal media out there, then you some how conclude that it is reasonable to lie, cheat and bend the truth....fox news. Also, if you are taught that to be a Christian, means to be a Republican, then you can judge any non believers and Democrats as hell bound. The Democratic Party may have it's issues but at least the supporters that I know are not wearing beer goggles. We typically know when we are spending time, especially intimate time with the less than attractive. We are also not afraid to voice descent within our own party. What appears to be a lack of governing ability is in reality a true exercise in democracy. It is somehow refreshing when you have a friend or a political party that will call you or the leaders on their Bull intead of simply drinking the kool aid with you. We have reached a point that a beer summit was needed to calm racial fears. Maybe if we could use the beer goggles on the opposite party insted of the opposite sex, we may begin to heal the great divide that so bitterly defines us as a Nation.

Pro Life?

Perhaps, no other single issue has so divided Americans. I used to not really know how I felt on this issue and frankly, at one point, I did not even care. We should look back historically at this term and realize that this term has indeed changed over time. The people and groups that opposed abortion were at one point referenced as anti- abortion and the people that supported the right to choose were called pro-choice. The religious crowd and their political gurus got involved and decided that the term anti- abortion was a negative term and they wanted to change the term to pro-life. They also wanted the pro choice folks to be called pro-abortion. This change was made through the so called “liberal “media and was pushed by pastors and churches and through the exploding medium known as conservative radio. The change was such a success that no one seems to even remember the former terms. My first comment would be that I am a male and as such, I feel that I am not qualified to decide what is best on this issue. Until a man can have a baby, I don’t think that we should be making these decisions for women. I can guarantee you that if men were the ones that got pregnant, then abortion would not only be legal, you would be able to get one at any grocery store 24 hours a day. I do agree with President Clinton when he said…”abortions should be safe, legal and rare”. I also would like to dispute the perception that abortion is used as birth control. There is simply no truth in women using this embarrassing procedure as a way to control pregnancy. What person in their right mind would want the cost and health risk and self guilt of going through this process over and over? My last question would be the same as I asked a group of conservative Christian people recently. I simply want to know if these same people supported the war in Iraq? The obvious answer is of course they do. My next question would be, you are anti-abortion as well? Again, the answer is yes. The final question would be, how can you be pro-life and yet support the killing of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in Iraq? I was shouted down after this question and was told that we were justified in killing the people in Iraq because that was keeping us safe. How could this be because the facts have been blurred? Iraq had nothing to do with 911 and had no way to harm us as a Nation. I’m afraid that these same people have been brain washed by the Bush administration and right wing media and somehow believed the propaganda about Iraq. If you have any doubts, simply perform a Google search and view the myriad of articles and interviews that admit such by President Bush, Vice President Cheney and all the others involved in the march to war. The point I want to make is, if you are a pro-life person, how can you support the killing of innocent people anywhere in the world? How can you care about an unborn baby but no care after they are born and how can you ever not support the right of every American to universal health care? Who would Jesus deny coverage to? I think that what we are looking at here is a case of ironic behavior. The same people that support small Government and keeping Washington out of your lives are more than happy to have the government involved in your life in the case of abortion, homosexual behavior and generally trying to dictate morality to others. If you are so against abortion, simply don’t have one. If you are anti abortion, then don’t be a war monger and don’t preach such hate that it cost a doctor, a nurse or a patient their lives at an abortion clinic. In my view, the hate merchants that constantly wink at violence against anyone in the legal women’s health profession, are nothing more than domestic terrorist and should be treated and prosecuted just like any other terrorist. Seems like lots of these folks also support torture and water boarding, maybe these treatments would be good for them if they plot, plan, preach or support any violence in the name of God. These issues will never be solved by your conservative leaders because they need a bogey man to unite the base. If the conservatives had any intention of changing the law, they would have done so on the many occasions that they had total control over the congress and the Presidency.