Delay's be gone!

Well I think that's an appropriate title for a blog post regarding teh announcement today from Washington to stop defending DOMA in regards to it's civic definition of marriage.  Delays be gone!  So, here's the thing.  I have an issue with the "gay marriage debate" and an opinion that most people don't want to hear, because I don't toe the party line as far as the gay viewpoint.  Another article I read this week made me smile, since I now know I'm not alone with not being in line with the common thoughts on gay issues.

So, gay marriage.  There's two separate issues in regard to this issue in the legality of gay marriage that I can see, and one opinion of my own.  One is the definition of marriage.  Two is the separation/joining of civil benefits with a traditionally religious institution.  My opinion is that we [the gay community] shouldn't want anything to do with such a hetero tradition anyway. 

So the definition issue.  Marriage has two definitions.  One of them is (as much as gay activists dislike it) a traditional, historical, and biblical definition that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.  The other definition, as I see it, is that of a contract between two individuals in regards to how their government views them.  Like it or not, marriage has ceased to be strictly a religious institution because of the number of civil benefits associated with it. 

This brings me to the second issue of marriage.  That of the number of civil benefits it gives, contrasted by the religious benefits.  Of the latter there are none, aside from the intangible.  The idea that God now sees you as one person.  Of the former there are numerous (too numerous to name) but a few of them pertain to hospital visitation rights, joint property, inheritance, medical power of attorney, etc.  In my opinion marriage stopped being a religious institution the minute the benefits of the government outweighed the benefits the church gives you.  Also, when that happened, the definition changed to be that of a contract, and the rights of the people afforded them under the Constitution of the US became applicable. 

My personal issue: since the inception of the "gay community" we have had our own, pretty much everything.  Our own neighborhoods, bars, businesses, etc.  And we have fought for equal treatment in nearly everything, despite the only difference we collectively share that separates us is a preference to engage in sex acts with a member of the same sex.  But we still want a part of that hetero idea of marriage, for some reason.  I guess it is so we can be considered truly equal to the average hetero.  But why can't we be content with something that has a different name, and gives the same benefits according to the government?  If you think about it that way (I do at least) the whole argument is over a name.

The entire article that spawned the above, would be found here, because President Obama has finally decided that the contract definition of marriage should be paramount and therefore all US citizens rights should be protected and not discriminated against.

On to other things.  I was very happy to read that another 'Mo finally had the guts to publicly say something that I have thought and said since I came out.  You can find out what was said here.  And I for one am very glad that they haven't found any way to determine why a person is homosexual.  Because if they did determine it to be biological, they'd figure out a way to screen for it, and that would open up a whole different can of worms.

Going in a completely different direction, I was watching the Glee that we recorded last night, and saw a preview/commercial for this movie and I was pretty irked.  I mean the story is basically a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, as far as I can see.  And those retellings aren't getting any better.  I mean they turn a pretty boy ugly and tell him he'll stay that way unless he finds someone to love him.  That's not really making it easier for those of us who don't have "movie star looks", you know?

What I would like to see is a take on Beauty and the Beast where the beast is turned into a horrible monstrous and animalistic thing, a la the Disney version, with the same sort of curse, be this way until you find someone to love you as you are.  Then enter the prince(ess), a young man wandering in the middle of nowhere, who finds himself in the company of said beast.  They fall in love, and the curse is lifted, but when the beast's true form is revealed, its really a prince/guy, thus proving that love really is blind.  Although I'm not sure if my version has a happy ending or not yet.  I'd like it to, but there's no telling.

Now some sad news, at least to me, is that one of the co-producers of the visually stunning, if a bit plot lack-luster, Chronicles of Narnia movies passed away.  He was also the author of a book about a gay teen with superpowers, which makes his works on the christian-ish narnia movies very interesting.  The article that I found reporting on his death can be found here. 

In regards to the dissent in my state, I have only to say that I'm not going to write about it here, save this paragraph and anything already written.  I'm in support of the protesters because I disagree with Gov. Walker's method, which is (as far as I can see it) going outside of the democratic process.  This clip, from MSNBC by State Rep. Gordon Hintz, exemplifies my feelings, if not my vehemence.

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And someone in this country ought to have a job that is protected, since all private sector workers are basically at will employees and can be fired at any time for any reason.  But I agree with the opposite, in that unions can get too big for their britches and overstep their bounds.  But the fact is that we live in a country that has a fundamentally broken system on all levels, and until we rectify that, nothing constructive and productive can come from this nation.

So while my state tears itself apart, my delays keep happening

So my delays have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Wisconsin seems on the verge of implosion.  I'm pretty sure if this goes on for much longer, there'll just be a huge hole where the state used to be filled with cheeze floating in beer/booze and viscera.  Gov. Walker apparently wants to toe the party line and rid out state workers of collective bargaining rights and effectively de-unionize the state. 

Now, there are two issues with this.  One being that I think that with the rise of the private sector and the power that it has gained since the Reagan years and the deregularion of the US pretty much, that unions are just as necessary as they were when they first began in order to protect the rights of US workers across the nation, not only in Wisconsin.  Assuming that any of these major corporations has employees in the US aside from CEO's and the like, their rights need to be looked after.

That is not to say that Unions are the best thing in the world.  Like any institution that exists for any length of time, unions have the chance to become as corrupt as the corporations that they were created to protect against.  I think that this is usually due to money and where it comes from.  Much like lobbyists, people pay money to a union to "support" it, but really paying to make sure certain interests are looked after as far as the union is concerned.

This brings me to issue two.  After seeing my home state on the verge of implosion, I have to wonder at what point does following a party line fail?  At what point does loyalty to a political ideal or a religious one for that matter, overshadow the blatant needs of the people?  And when are the people in charge of this country going to start asking themselves this questions?

There are a few facts that people seem to overlook.  People in this country need Jobs to pay for things, and they're aren't any to be had.  The price of things necessary to live (food, housing, etc...) is getting to be outrageous.  The money paid to keep people healthy and not die is astronomical and sending numerous people into bankruptcy.  Because people aren't working/can't find work they're falling back on government programs designed to help them for a short time and overtaxing the system because the programs weren't designed to be a long term fix. 


I am not an politician nor an economist but after being unemployed and nearly homeless, these are issues that I have noticed.  These are issues that need to be addressed in a frank and rational manner.  I'm sure there are multiple ways to fix the issues, and I have a feeling nearly all of them (due to the over politicized and dual political party nature of our country) there will have to be some compromise.  But, in reference to the issue above, neither party is really willing to give any ground on the issues because they're too wrapped up in their own party ideals to take a step back and really do what needs to be done.


Ok, so now I'm finished with the really deep part of the post.  So the reason why I'm delayed is because of not having a computer caused a number of things to build up that needed to be typed and read and printed, and some of them were time sensitivity, ergo when I got a computer I needed to work hardcore on some of them.  So aside from running errands, and my other bi-weekly D&D game (I leveled from 4 to 5 in Wiz and Clr meaning 3rd level spells, YAY!  Bonus points if this made you smile and/or giggle) I was working all day on other stuff, which led to the delay.


So here's something.  One of my NYR's was to give up something from my past (I won't get into all the sordid details) but suffice it to say I wrote a letter expressing all my feelings and put it in an envelope and put it in a box, content to let that piece of paper shoulder my burden.  Which from Jan1 it has.  Last night I had a (good/decent) dream about the thing I was letting go.  I'm not sure what to do with that.  I'm inclined to ignore it and just move on with my life, but how are you supposed to give up something/let something go if your subconscious keeps reminding you of that which you're supposed to be giving up.  Blarg.


So, I was perusing news and I came across this article.  Now, I thought that sexual orientation wasn't supposed to change, but according to this guy it's as easy as flipping a switch. *quirks eyebrow*  Really?  I smell BS.  And then he claimed that he OD'd on Mucinex?  Come on!  You don't shoot someone with a pistol, a shotgun, and then axe them all to hell while on Mucinex.  Mostly because if you're on Mucinex, you're probably too sick to to anyting much less shoot someone and axe them into oblivion. 


And then there's the huge news that this article goes on to say.  Which living in the State/City where the university is located, I have to say "really?"  As if this is big news.  But there again, as my state tears itself apart, other news stories get publicity. 


I think that this article, while having an inflammatory headline, is really good.  I'd like to write a similar letter to my college explaining how things changed and how I was treated differently by people after I came out.  And how a lot of people stopped talking to me and I lost a lot of people I considered to be friends after I came out.  It didn't seem like such a big but apparently it got around. 


Oh well, here's the blog, I'm updating regularly, and I have a computer again.  YAY!  So here's to a blog update on time next week!

All Things New

So in an effort to supplant my desire to work on nothing but gaming stuff tomorrow since I'm writing this from my new netbook which I have developed a sincere fondness for at this point (probably because it's the first computer I've had in approximately a year and a half). 

Anyway, I'm planning on blogging tomorrow since my computer powers have been restored and seem to be better than ever.  So I bid you farewell until tomorrow when I can give this sturdy netbook a run for it's money.

Hopefully the last delay & Good news

Well, in the spirit of last week, there was unexpected delays for the blog this week.  The computer I was using took a dive into the Well of Oblivion (gaming joke), after an epic battle with my gremlin and numerous viruses.  It seems that I have an anti-technologic touch, courtesy of my gremlin (I have named him Charlie).  I mean if you think about it the only thing technological that I haven't broken is my cell phone(s) and numerous remotes.  My old computer, external HD, VCR(remember those?), my car(s), My roommates old computer, my roommates work computer, it's just insane. 

Anyway, I have a backup computer now, and I have a netbook on the way.  Hopefully I'll get blogging regularly again on Wednesdays again by next week.  Yes, I saved up money every paycheck, since about last September or so, and finally had enough to buy a netbook so I at least have a basic computer again.  Once other fundage comes in, a nice shiny new gaming desktop is in order.  Along with car repairs.  Which should drain the aformentioned fundage.  *grumble grumble*

Things being as they are, however, I neglected to spend time reading anything newsworthy and therefore have no other fun things to report, and nothing to rant about.

Although, due to the efforts of an aspiring professional stagehand, I(we) have ended up with a surround sound system in our basement which is connected to a computer for music, and we have stage/club lighting as well.  Which makes gaming (D&D and the like) interesting, but I'm also thinking of having a party at some point.  We'll have to see. 

Anyway, happy Thursday!

This just in - Snow in Winter! People shocked!

And that's how I feel.  I cannot fathom that people are surprised that we (in Wisconsin) get snow, in winter.  Now, I apologize for the late blog entry, I spent yesterday digging the house out and getting my car unstuck.  All which went well thankfully.  But back to the point.  Every year, since well before the founding of the nation the area which would eventually become known as Wisconsin, tipped away from the sun during the winter bringing cold and snow.  It happens.  It's a fact of life that has happened every year since before the various people who are alive today.  So why then, if this happens every year, are people surprised and caught off guard by the fact that it is cold and we get snow?  This is not newsworthy people.  Just clean up, dust off your winter driving skills, and move on.  Jeez!

Nothing really noteworthy for me to comment on this week.  I guess aside from the unrest in Egypt.  Which is interesting and sad.  I'm not a proponent of violence but I guess I sort of admire the Egyptian people as they are finally rising up in opposition of a government that they are oppressed by.  Listening to Green 960 since I have satellite radio on my phone.  One of the show hosts there made a comment about what is it going to take for the American people to become so incensed as to riot and protest the treatment from the government?  I'm not sure that we Americans are capable of doing that.  I think we've become too complacent.  We just let things happen until it gets to the point that we can't handle it anymore, but then it's too late.  Things have moved to a point that no matter what we say and/or do, the system is rigged against us.  Do we have to wait until this point?  Or should we keep watch and attempt to make sure that things don't ever get to that point?

So, I guess the only other major thing going on is the ever present gay focus on gay marriage, now that DADT is repealed, more or less.  And while I'm a proponent of gay marriage, I have my own opinions about it, which I've shared before on this blog, I believe.  Somewhere..I looked and I can't find a link.  So maybe I haven't.  But that's a topic for another blog.  At least here, I can say that while I understand the importance of equality, I think that the extreme focus put on the Gay Marriage issue is ending up creating more opposition than it is pushing for the issue that it want's to achieve.  Mostly because people (some like me) are getting tired of the same arguments being thrown around with no real progress being made. Which is disheartening. 

Sorry for the lateness, snow removal takes precedence.  But I wasn't surprised about it, and like everyone else I'm not posting pictures...  =P