The Year of Moving Forward

The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Vote Today...but why? And Marriage Equality

You should too. Polls are open till 7:00.

People in South Dakota and Montana are voting today as well. I expect Senator Clinton to bow out gracefully, after tonight. If and when she does...I will unite with other democrats in support of Barack Obama.

In the meantime, we will watch tonight's returns with interest, as history unfolds before us.

But as I voted today, I couldn't get Hacking Democracy out of my mind.



We watched the HBO documentary last night, and if you see the first 5 minutes, you have to watch the rest. During those five minutes, they remind us that in Volusia County Florida in 2000 that Al Gore received negative 16, 022 votes in one precinct. A precinct that had only 585 registered voters. 412 of those voters actually cast ballots, and Bush got 2813 and Gore -16, 022. On Diebold Voting machines. You don't think their machines can be hacked? Watch .

You can watch Hacking Democracy on HBO in Demand, or just go to Youtube and search "hacking democracy" and there it is, in several parts, 1,2,3...9.

And we are supposed to have faith in the system? Well, yeah...so..vote! And believe that housewive's in Seattle and professors at Princeton are on top of things.

Meanwhile, as we wait for tonight's results, attitudes about same sex marriage are changing. Much like attitudes toward interracial marriage changed, but at a slightly quicker pace.

Here is a graph of attitudes toward interracial marriage.



In 1958 94% of Americans were against the concept while only 4% approved. In 1968, around the time the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that interracial marriage could not be denied, only 20 % approved. Not until 1991, 25 years later, did more people support than oppose, and now, a large majority does.

Now look at the graph for same sex marriage.

Blue line is support, red is oppose and black is don't know. The blip is around 2004 when Republicans used gay marriage as a wedge issue. At this point, according to the latest Gallup poll, about 46% approve, so the clear trend is acceptance, and I predict that 2009 will be the year that the lines cross. As marriages occur in California, people will see that it is OK, even preferred, to allow people to live in loving committed relationships that support one another and support society.

Jay Brannan has a new song, Housewife. Who would not want a life partner like the one he sings of? This song is NSFW, it includes the F word, so don't play at work. Unless you work in a really cool place. The song is available on itunes, the album will be out in July.

14 comments:

Joe said...

OK. Let's give a little artistic license here. The preferred term, here in the 21st century, is "homemaker" of couse, which is gender neutral and inclusive. But "housewife" reflects belonging to someone, which homemaker does not.

There is nothing wrong with a man being a homemaker or wanting to belong to someone in that way, and I think the song is great.

Anonymous said...

I think it is great also. I sense the tenderness and the emotion that he has with taking on the role of taking care of his mate in the traditional sense of a "housewife." Thanks for sharing. I can't wait for the album to come out. He is extremely talented!

Anonymous said...

Joe, Joe....a WIFE is a WOMAN. HUSBAND = MAN. No MAN can EVER be a HOUSEWIFE.

Anonymous said...

This site is disgusting. God bless America right after you forgive us.

Joe said...

Anonymous,
Since you put this comment on this post, you must be either racist or homophobic. Either way, you do not appreciate the diversity that makes up the world or the work of God. I feel sorry for you, to be full of such hatred. Like the person at the gay pride parade had on her sign. " I missed this whole "hate" thing. Paid too much attention to the "God is love" " part. The picture is on al.com.

To the anonymous that started "Joe Joe...see my comment above about artistic license.

To the anonymous above that. thank you. At least one person recognizes love and art and talent.

Joe said...

Darryl,
I realize that people have differing opinions and I respect the opinions of others. But I also respect science. Science says that sexuality is not a choice. Medicine and psychology agree.
Another place you are misguided is saying that most people don't agrtee with "lifestyle". First, what is lifestyle? Love, commitment? Well, heteros don't have such a great track record there either. Wanting to raise our kids without harrasement? Wanting job security and insurance benefits? Teaching my son to drive? Is that lifestyle?
Or is lifestyle going to pickup bars like so many of my hetero friends do, or forgetting their wife and kids and spending free time hunting and golfing like others? Yes lifestyle is a choice, but being gay is not.

American heritage College Dictionary 3rd edition defines family as 1.a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of parents and their offspring. b.Two or more people who share common goals and values, have commitments to one another, and reside, usually in the same place. 2. all the members of a household under one roof.

As for the being a sin part, see
http://bessemeropinions.blogspot.com/2007/07/homosexuality-and-bible-and-more.html

As the original post here shows, the public at one time did not want to afford the same rights to people of different races, and religion was one of the arguments then as well. Attitudes changed. They are still changing.

Anonymous said...

You can't use the dictionary to define a family. You have to use the holy scripture, where family was formed. Adam and Eve, a man and a woman. The two become one flesh.
If homosexuality is not a choice, how then do you explain BI-sexuals. Sometimes they are with a man and sometimes with a woman. Sexuality is a choice. Being black is not a choice.
I did some research after reading your comments Joe, and what I have found after a couple of hours on the 'net' was that the scientific evidence seems to depend on the scientist. I have found both sides of the issue.
So for me, I will go back to the Bible, not the dictionary.

Joe said...

Holy Scriptures. Where a man could have several wives. OK. so if in today's society (or back then) when a man and a woman have a child without being married, isn't that a family? Well, if a man and woman adopt a child without being married, isn't that a family. so if a gay man and his partner adopt a child, they are a family also.

Sexuality has been determined to be a spectrum ranging from 100% hetero to 100% homosexual, with lots of in betweens.

And there is a difference between sexual orientation and sexual behavior. Anyone can exhibit homosexual behavior, a classic example is male prisoners, but that does not make them gay. Their orientation is that they are attracted to women, but their actions (by choice) show otherwise. Likewise, a gay man does not choose to be attracted to another man,but that is natural for him. He may, however, choose to ignore those feelings and behave in a heterosexual manner.

Homosexuality is seen throughout the animal kingdom, but I don't know any scientists who believe animals, say, a penguin pair, are sitting down pondering their choice of who to be with.

So Darryl, let me ask you this. When did you choose to be heterosexual. did you weigh the options? How did you come to your conclusion?

If you say you did not have to make a choice, then it is not a choice.

There is a difference between true science and what some say is science. Look for articles in peer reviewed, respected journals for science, not google.

Having said all of that, one does not have to disregard the bible to believe in science or to be a spiritual gay man. There is much to learn from both the bible and from science.

Joe said...

It is natural (or more common) to be right handed, but some are left handed. It is more common to be heterosexual, but some are homosexual.

"Christians" take scripture and turn it to fit their lifestyle. Slavery was justified by scripture. Women were denied the right to vote because of scripture. Gays are denied equality because of scripture (mis-interpreted, in all three cases, I might add)

Jesus? I am well versed on the teachings of Jesus and I know for a fact he never mentioned homosexuality in the recorded Bible.

And I do not have a closed mind. I am very open minded. You?

Oh, and you avoided my question about when you made the choice.

Joe said...

I will refer you back to the link to my post about homosexuality and the Bible. I guess you didn't read it. I matters not what Bible I have been reading, because I researched the Greek and other languages, and studied the culture under which the "clobber" verses were written. The Bible, in general, and Jesus, in particular, even Paul, does not condemn gay men in loving, committed relationships and that is a fact.

And you continue to avoid my question about when you made a choice to be heterosexual.

Anonymous said...

No one makes the choice to be normal.

God created us male and female. He created a woman for a man, not a man for a man. He said to be fruitful and multiply. Two men or two women cannot do this. It is anatomically impossible. He told Abraham, Issac and Jacob that thier family line would be great - the twelve tribes of Israel. None of this could have happened had any of them been gay. When the Bible talks about marriage, it is between a man and a woman.

No one chooses to be black.
No one has a choice of their natural hair color.

But I see on this blog that you have two children. That means you were once married. That means you chose to marry a woman. If you had been born gay you would have known this upon reaching puberty and would have never married a woman, and you certainly would have never had children. You are living proof that queers choose to be queer.

There is nothing in the Bible that supports the gay lifestyle. Not a single verse. But there are verses that talk about a man not lying with another man, about the sexual immorality, and of course the story of Sodom.

You don't have a clue man. All of you gays try to justify your sinful lifestyle and you just cannot do it.
LOL. It is sad.

Joe said...

You are right. I was once married. When I was young, social pressures convinced me that I needed to be straight. I acted straight. I married. I fathered two children. But all along, I was gay. I deceived myself. I tried to deceive God. But God showed me that that in order to honor him, I had to be honest with him and with myself. so I came out. I do not regret having been married, however, for I have two wonderful kids as a result.

There is a passage that supports gays. I will post that separately.

Anonymous said...

"But God showed me that that in order to honor him, I had to be honest with him and with myself."

You have lost it Joe. You have no idea about absolute Truth. I hope you will soon see the light my friend.

Joe said...

Darryl,
See today's post.