Obama Llama?

I rarely talk about politics because I usually have no idea what I'm talking about or I'm not informed enough to defend myself. All I know is, I hate George Bush and the current state of this country. We've been led into the wilderness with no weapons and there are wolves at our backs, and there have been far too many casualties. I question the mental capacity of this country for electing that monkey twice. Once was bad enough people. Not that Kerry would have been much better, but he wouldn't have been Bush. Who, may I add, has the lowest approval rating in modern history, has left this country in an economic shambles, and has proven that he is not the brightest crayon in the box.

I've been on the Obama train since the primaries. I thought of voting for Hilary Clinton for a short period of time. I admired the fact that she was a woman running for president, girl power, female solidarity, kicking ass and all that good stuff. Although I admired her for what she had accomplished, I found her personality to be abrasive and I questioned her ability to lead, even though I would have voted for her if she won the primary. So I voted for Obama. At first I thought he was a little green and inexperienced but as time went on I grew very fond of him and his desire to give this country a brighter future. He had the hope of America on his shoulders. He seemed to hold this shining white beacon to lead the country to something better. Sure I'm an idealistic dreamer, but dammit I think I have a right to be. This country is in shambles, wishing and dreaming for something better is natural.

Obama is promising quite a lot. Most politicians do make a lot of lofty promises in hopes that they will be elected. It's basically akin to a free gift when you enter a store. The whole point is to snag you and to get you to spend money. (Clinique is really good at this BTW. I have about 6 of their "spend $25 and you get a free makeup bag full of samples” bags. Oh Clinique, you tricky little whore you). All politicians are notorious for empty promises, and many people are quick to saying Obama is guilty of this also. However, there is something about him that makes me believe him. He may not accomplish all he says he will, but he seems sincere and genuine enough to try as hard as he can. I trust him more than any other politician; more than John Kerry, and CERTAINLY more than George Bush or John McCain.

Let's talk about McCain for a minute. I'm not going to bash him too much because he is a war hero who has been through terrible hardships. (Although I've read recently that he grew up a spoiled brat who did terribly in school but squeaked by because his daddy was a big time general. Hmm, getting somewhere only because of your famous father, that sounds very familiar. I'm sure he's a good man minus his political standing. However, I feel that I must voice my opinion on this because a very conservative friend of mine thinks I'm not only an idiot for having said opinion, but that I should be shot then drawn and quartered for even considering voting for Obama. Wow that was a long sentence. McCain has been criticized as being a George Bush clone. He voted with him 95% of the time and yet he claims he will bring change to this country. Not only that but (and even though he says he won't) he plans to raise taxes for most of the country and cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans. As if they need any financial help.

As far as I'm concerned, even though McCain is toting himself (and that weird Tina Fey Megan Mulally conglomeration anti-feminist he calls his running mate) as a maverick, it's still the same old republican bullshit we've seen for eight years. Some Republicans are voting for him anyway, despite the state this country is in. My dad likes to say they "drank the kool-aid." They either cannot think for themselves or are too stubborn and ignorant to accept a world view so radically different from theirs that they stick to antiquated and wrong ways of thinking.

Take my friend for example. He’s a devout catholic who doesn't believe in abortion. Wow, there's a shock. He also feels that women should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. Now it's people like this that scare the living hell out of me. They are also the people that elected Bush.... twice. I don't understand why this country loves stupid people. It's probably the reason why Paris Hilton is so popular!

Oh yeah and that abortion thing. I do not support the destruction of human life in any capacity. However, if the situation presents it self, say if god-forbid I were raped or I knew that there would be horrible complications with the pregnancy and it needed to be terminated, I do think I should have the right to make that choice for myself. The government shouldn't have any say over what I do with my vagina.

And my general message to most Catholics is to shut the hell up. It is especially not your place (nor the place of anyone else) to judge another human being. While I know I've backed myself into a corner with that one, especially in regards to our judicial system, I believe that statement to be true. No person has the right to have power over another. Period. Jesus said love thy neighbor, not hate everyone who is different from you and judge them for what they believe. And "judge not lest ye be judged." I am not very religious but I believe that it is God's and God's (or whatever you want to call it) place alone to ultimately decide our fate. However, I also believe that despite how horrible you were in life, whatever all-powerful being you believe loves you regardless. I don't believe in hell and I was also raised a Christian Scientist. Oh yeah, I'm a hoot.

With about 2 weeks left until the election, I really hope that America makes the right decision. Although what I view as the right decision, and what some conservative think is the right decision is completely different. McCain is down in the polls now, but he claims that is where he does his best. I'm tired of the ads and the constant self-promotion and I want this election to be over. Thankfully that will happen very soon.

No significance to Obama Llama other than the fact it rhymes, and I like Llamas. I mean, how can you not like a Llama?

Way to go America!

I was watching the news last night with my mom. Betwixt reports of a baby killed by a cult and something else just as gruesome, a story was presented about a gay marriage bill in Pennsylvania. I support gay marriage, or at least the rite to a civil union, so the story intrigued me. I was rather disgusted to find out it was yet another hateful bigot making a big stink and someone's words blown out of proportion.

Gilbert Coleman Jr., a black pastor from Freedom Christian Bible Fellowship in Philadelphia, recently attended an Appropriations Committee hearing on a bill that would outlaw and snuff out gay marriage in the state of Pennsylvania. Senator Vincent J. Fumo opposes this bill. During the heated debate in which Coleman said that gay marriage is wrong and should not be allowed, Fumo said , "What you are advocating here is that we take away the rights of a minority. And I don't think that's right. If we introduced a bill on slavery, it might pass. That doesn't make it right." ""I doubt that, sir," responded Coleman.

"Oh, don't bet on it in this General Assembly," Fumo fired back, "I know some people up here, especially on a secret ballot, it would be almost unanimous."

Coleman said Wednesday, the day after the debate that the comments "certainly came out of leftfield" and were misguided. However he was not angry "because of the source where it was coming from. They came from an angry man, angry over his own personal situation."

Also on Wednesday Fumo said that he was "obviously exaggerating to make a point. If a majority would vote to approve slavery -- as was done once in this country -- that wouldn't make it right," he continued. "I wanted people at the hearing to face the fact that denying human rights to any group, including homosexuals, at any point in our history, including in 2008, is wrong."

There was of course a backlash to these comments. People stating that Fumo went too far stating that renouncing gay marriage equates to legalizing slavery. Mr. Coleman certainly thinks so. I hate to say it, but it's exactly the same thing and I agree whole-heartedly with what Senator Fumo said. If this bill were to pass it would be denying a group of American people a basic human right. Gay people are no different from everybody else, save their sexual preference.

Granted, their choice of lifestyle is very different from the norm in this country. But we can't all be bible thumping football loving republicans now can we? It shouldn't matter who they love or have sex with. They were born in this country and therefore as American citizens should have the same opportunities and privileges as everyone else. The situation concerning black slaves and gay people is essentially the same - a minority is being oppressed and is viewed as less than human.

Situations like this really make me ill. Leave the gays alone. They are just trying to live their lives like everyone else. I dream of a world in which prejudice is dead. A world where fundamental christians shut the hell up and leave people alone. Jesus never said "hate everyone who isn't like you," he said "love thy neighbor." How difficult is that to accomplish? Loving each other is easier than hating each other. It takes more energy to hate. I hope that Pennsylvania really pulls through on this vote. While it failed me in the primary election, allowing Hilary Clinton and not Barrak Obama to win ( don't even get me started on that), it voted for John Kerry for president four years ago. So I'm holding on to that little glimmer of hope that PA will make the right decision, as it did that day four years ago.

all quotes found here