12.25.07 (9:10 pm) posted by Genia
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Before I go . . .
I found a great blog and a great coming out story.
I would write my own coming out story, but it's so uneventful and boring. I wasn't disowned. No one offered to pay for Christian counseling. No one called me a dyke. Geez, I feel like
I missed out on something.
Oh, I love his disclaimer. Reminds me of the one I used to have here. Mental note: must repost my disclaimer. In the meantime, his disclaimer applies to this blog as well. Ha!
12.25.07 (8:51 pm) posted by Genia
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Merry Christmas to everyone who's wandering around the blogosphere instead of spending time with family and friends. My teenage boys are with their father, so
I'm drinkin' and bloggin'. Watch out, things could get a little dangerous.
I cooked Christmas dinner twice. Yep, twice. My placement arrangement has my children with me on Christmas Eve through 5 pm on Christmas Day, then off with their father
until January 2. I cooked a huge dinner yesterday, thinking the boys would have a second Christmas dinner at their father's house today. They ate almost everything last night, including all of the
dessert. At about noon today, I hear, "Mom, we're hungry." It didn't matter that they would have dinner at their father's, they wanted me to cook again. And I did. The
problem came when I realized there was no dessert left. So, I drove around all over Beloit looking for anything I could use to make more dessert. Oh.my.gawd. Trying to find a freakin'
apple pie on Christmas Day is impossible. I even called the Chinese restaurant to see if they had a pie they would sell me. No luck. They were closed.
By the time I finished searching for dessert, I was exhausted and stressed. I needed a drink. Thank goodness alcohol was a lot easier to find.
And then . . . I got a little textual with a cutie in Chicago. A little playful flirting via text message. I may need some me-time later this evening.
And then . . . I found a great station on XM that was playing Christmas music all day. My absolute favorite Christmas song of all time is O Holy Night. A friend sang that for me
at Karaoke on Sunday night. It gave me goosebumps.
And now . . . I'm heading out to meet some friends. We're the childless, done-with-our-family-for- the-night group. Should be interesting!
Ron Paul Very Picky About Social Issues He Will Address
12.25.07 (6:59 pm) posted by Genia
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Robert, a Ron Paul supporter, made the following comment related to my recent
domestic violence post:
He said: "To the extent that the state has such authority over such issues [domestic
violence], it is a matter for the legislatures of the respective fifty states.
It is, however, mainly a social issue, i.e. not a political issue, to be
addressed outside the polity but within the traditional social institutions."
(all emphasis are mine)
Ok, so let's run with that theory and assume that domestic violence is a social issue -- and not a political issue.
Let's see what other social issues Paul has already addressed:
Racism: seems very much like a social issue to me.
Home-schooling: since when did it become the federal government's business how we educate our children? I thought that was a state issue.
Paul's vote to ban gay adoption is definitely a social issue,
one he didn't mind getting involved in at all.
It seems Ron Paul is very picky about those social issues he will address and those he will not. At some point, Paul did indeed see violence against women as a political issue: he
voted against the Violence Against Women Act (VAMA). If he really sees that as a social issue, and one the federal government should not address, he could have just refrained from voting. Instead, he voted against it.
I urge Harris Interactive to retract the findings of their study on holiday stress in heterosexual women vs. lesbians. I'm thinking holiday stress is high for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation.
12.24.07 (3:43 pm) posted by Genia
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I might revive my weekly L Word recaps here at SistersTalk. I didn't watch a single episode last season. I guess I had enough of my own lesbian drama to deal with.
For L Word fans looking for a sneak preview,
OurChart (the ad to your left, top of page) will host the season 5 premiere of L Word for FREE -- one full week before the season premiere airs.
2008 Presidential Candidates Not Concerned With Domestic Violence
12.24.07 (2:30 pm) posted by Genia
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December 25, 2007: Updates to this post are here, here, and here.
Some changes have been made to the original post to make some clarifications. Changes are in bold and brackets.
------------------------- ------
Original content below:
Employees at a beauty salon in New York are taking on domestic violence. Salon employees are being trained to spot cases of domestic abuse that may not get reported
to the authorities -- particularly domestic violence in the Latino community.
Operating off of the belief that women tell all when they're at a beauty salon,
salon employees are hoping they can help put an end to what they consider a huge concern in the Latino community.
Apparently, lots of individuals and groups are concerned about domestic violence, except the 2008 Presidential candidates. The only Democratic candidate who [directly] addresses violence against women [on his campaign page] is John Edwards:
Ending Violence Against Women
Achieving full equal rights for women includes the right to be free
of violence everywhere. Edwards supports efforts to fully fund the
Violence Against Women Act, which provides resources for crisis centers,
domestic violence shelters and continuing education to law enforcement
and the courts. Edwards will also aggressively support political and
economic rights for women where they do not exist and supports efforts
to reduce violence against women and children around the world.
On YouTube's Face the Candidates, domestic violence isn't even a bullet point, and a
quick check of Google and
Yahoo
yields very few articles on how the 2008
Presidential candidates have addressed domestic violence in any comprehensive fashion.
I have $5 that says the moment Fox News makes a domestic violence case the next big story, all the
Presidential candidates will scramble to pen their new and aggressive plans to fight domestic abuse in America. Let's pray we don't need a
dead, white, suburban housewife to get the 2008 Presidential hopefuls interested in domestic violence issues.
12.22.07 (7:08 pm) posted by Genia
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I found a video on YouTube that addresses Bill O'Reilly's obsession with an imaginary war on Christmas. The video
suggests that O'Reilly's use of the word "war" has fueled
some animosity amongst those who consider themselves [radical] soldiers of Christ.
This year, there's been very little talk about the supposed war on Christmas from the O'Reilly camp. Apparently, even Condi
Rice's use of the words "Happy Holidays" at the end of this video (instead
of "Merry Christmas") hasn't been enough to stir O'Reilly.
12.22.07 (4:30 pm) posted by Genia
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Think back to a time when you
would wait until everyone left the room so you could
shake all the boxes under the Christmas tree that had your name on it.
Remember how you started shaking those boxes right around the
first of December because your parents started their Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving? I remember those days. Unfortunately,
my kids haven't been so lucky. I'm a cash and gift cards kinda gift-giver. I usually wait until December 23 to buy those gift cards. Not sure why, it's not like they'll be on sale. There's something so impersonable about giving cash as a gift, but I do it because I
really dislike shopping.
Every year for the past 5 years or so, I have given friends and family members cash --
for birthdays, anniversaries, the birth of a new child, and Christmas. This year, I'm giving
Visa gift cards. I'm hoping the cute little card boxes they come in will be a more personable touch.
A friend celebrated his 23rd birthday last month and I gave him a $23 gift card; that was my attempt to turn a gift card
into something more meaningful.
Call it what you will, but in my opinion, gift cards are the absolute best presents you can give this holiday season. Think about it. The recipient of a Visa
gift card can purchase whatever she wants. The next time you see that person and she says, "Girl, I just loved your present this year!" you'll know
she's not lying. Gift cards are the presents no one re-gifts -- unlike fruit cakes and bathrobes.
How will I determine the denomination of each gift card? Easy! All kids under the age of 12 will receive a $15 gift card.
Anyone between the age of 13 - 35 will receive a gift card that equals their age times 1.5. Anyone over the
age of 35 will receive a gift card that equals their age times 2.
Thank gawd I have a very small (but close) group of friends! Of course, my kids will both receive large gift cards, regardless of their age.
As I write this, I'm thinking about the worst Christmas present I've ever received.
I would have to say all those ugly, thick, cotton, flannel shirts I received as a child were
probably the worst Christmas presents ever. My mother bought those for me every year until I was 15 years old.
What was the worst Christmas present you ever received?
12.21.07 (5:13 pm) posted by Genia
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I snagged this list from Kevin Hayden of The American Street. Kevin did a great job of analyzing web
traffic and compiling a list of the top 100 liberal/progressive bloggers in the blogosphere.
Please visit The American Street
to read the entire post. Clarification on how the list was complied is afforded to you there. The stats used to compile this list came from
LBAN. Feel free to check
it yourself as the numbers sometimes change dramatically. Here's the list so far:
Adoptive Parent or Bio Parent? Doesn't Matter. Bad Parenting is Bad Parenting
12.21.07 (1:05 pm) posted by Genia
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I've just gotten wind of a Newsday article
about Dr. Phil's recent comments in O magazine regarding adoption:
Responding to a 42-year-old adoptee who
felt she never quite fit in with her family,
[Dr. Phil] McGraw said, "It's not uncommon for parents
to have a hard time forming the same bonds
with their adopted children as they do with
their biological children. That isn't fair,
but it's the reality."
I often felt out of place in my family and I'm not adopted. I suffered serious physical and psychological abuse at the hands of my mother. My brother and sisters
never experienced the same abuse.
Anyway, I rarely pay any attention to Oprah's dog-and-pony show called Dr. Phil, but after I
read through the
98 comments on this article, I just had to toss in my two cents.
One comment really annoyed me:
"I grew up with a kid
in Deer Park who was raised by adoptive parents.
The father was a taxi driver and the mother
collected money for being a foster parent.
Living conditions were better at my house
and we were poor, lower middle class.
This kid had to go to bed at night in
sub freezing conditions because the
foster mother was too cheap to turn
on the heat. He had a lot of talent.
He was a great drummer. But he turned
into a drug addict biker . . . " - (signed by someone named legalize marijuana)
First, let's note that the comment came from someone who goes by the name legalize marijuana.
Are we to assume that the poster, who is not adopted, also partakes in drug use just
like the adopted Deer Park kid who is now a drug addict? I doubt very seriously that the child's
adoption status is the direct cause of his misfortune. It looks more like the adopted child had less-than-desirable parents who
needed to work on their parenting skills.
Growing up in a family where no one was adopted,
I can honestly state that I've seen some horrible biological parenting in my day. Some of the women in my family
used to dope their kids up on cold medication, take them to a psychiatrist, and have
the psychiatrist label them psychologically disabled so they could then collect state disability
checks for their kids. These kids were placed on psychiatric medication they most likely didn't need.
One of these abused kids recently died.
I'm no doctor, but I'm guessing prolonged use of unnecessary psychiatric medication might have contributed to his death.
My family members were not the only ones guilty of this
kind of abuse. It was almost an accepted practice amongst the poor and ignorant when I was growing up. How a doctor could be manipulated and convinced that
a kid needed psych meds (even though he most likely didn't!) is beyond me, but there's been
a lot of talk about doctors overmedicating children for awhile.
My son's best friend "M" is adopted. M has a brother who is also adopted. M's mother, a Black woman, was almost 50 (and had 3 grown children already!)
when she adopted both M and his brother as infants.
I don't know about my readers, but when I'm 50 years old, I don't plan to start raising kids all over again.
Kudos to anyone who takes on that kind of challenge at that age instead
of retiring in Florida. M's mother is one of the best mothers I've ever seen, hands down. She lives for her children and doesn't treat the adopted ones
any different than she treats her biological children.
And then there's the drunken lesbian who adopted 4 children and is in the process of adopting one more. She's what I would consider a horrible parent.
I can't believe the state of Illinois even let her adopt kids. Between her drunken rampages and wild parties at 3am in her backyard
(while her children should be sleeping soundly!) and her
constant yelling and screaming, those poor kids will need serious therapy as adults.
The comparisons I've offered are not meant to make any definitive statements about race or sexuality as it relates to adoption;
my only goal is to make it clear
that good parenting skills are a necessity, whether you're an adoptive parent or a biological parent. Although it would most likely be a violation of a person's
civil rights, I would love to see legislation that makes it mandatory that people receive at least 1 year of parenting classes before they are allowed to become parents. This rule
should apply to both adoptive and biological parents. I know, it's damn near impossible to teach a person how to be a parent;
however, there are things we obviously need to tell people. Like: don't dope up your kids just to collect a state check!
12.21.07 (12:50 pm) posted by Genia
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Domestic violence is the most common cause of injury to women.
Statistics state that 97% of women who are killed by someone in their family are killed by their husband. The rates of domestic violence in same-gender relationships is roughly the same as domestic violence against heterosexual women (25%)
[source: Lambda].
The amount of reported domestic violence cases rises significantly during the holiday season. A quick search of Google returns
numerous articles
about an increase
in reported domestic abuse cases during the holidays.
Americans are not the only ones grappling with holiday domestic abuse issues;
even police in the UK have their share of
domestic violence troubles during the holidays.
I blogged on a recent study that suggests
lesbians are more stressed during the holidays than straight women, supposedly because of
"[e]strangement from family, marginalization within and isolation from society, [and] separation from children . . . ." These very
stress factors often lead to an increase in domestic violence amongst gays and lesbians during the holidays. A violent partner who is dealing
with estrangement from her own family
will often refuse to allow her significant other to visit family members. The fact that gays and lesbians are often
isolated from society offers a prime opportunity for violent partners to abuse their significant other because they know their partners
most likely won't report the abuse to the authorities.
I read a recent article on abuse (ack! can't locate the source at the moment) where a lesbian recounted how last year her partner wouldn't allow her to visit her family on
Christmas day even though she was still very close
to her family after coming out. The fact that one partner still had a healthy relationship with her family
and the other did not encouraged feelings of resentment. This resentment lead to one partner refusing to
allow the other partner to continue her relationship with her family.
I don't want to ignore the fact that victims of domestic abuse are often men.
Statistics show that 5 - 10% of domestic abuse victims in the US are men. The numbers are probably higher,
but too many men are embarrassed to admit they have been domestic abuse victims.
The Gay Men's Domestic Violence Project states one in four gay men experience domestic violence.
BatteredMen.com states that 835,000 men are victims of domestic abuse on an annual basis.
Please note that the BatteredMen story is dated 2001 so the numbers may have gone up or down since then. I'm guessing the numbers have gone up.
Only once in my life have I ever been a victim of domestic abuse. My exhusband once locked me in my room when I asked for a divorce, stating I was no longer
interested in playing straight just to help him save face with his conservative religious family. I had to promise I wouldn't leave him so he would set me free.
Once I was free, I immediately went to the courthouse to get a restraining order. The judge refused the restraining order because in her mind, locking someone
in her room against her will is not domestic abuse. Gotta love those Wisconsin judges!
GOP presidential
fund raising frontrunner Ron Paul has been criticized for not returning a $500 donation he received from an alleged White Supremacist.
The donation Paul received from the operator of a website called Storm Front that uses the motto, "White Pride World Wide."
Ron Paul has not returned the donation and doesn't plan to. Jesse Benton a campaign spokesman said they intend use "the money and try to spread the message of freedom." Benton, also said "If someone with small ideologies happens to contribute money to Ron, thinking he can influence Ron in any way, he's wasted his money."
In my opinion, Storm Front's operator made the $500 donation, not to support Ron Paul's candidacy, but to make every attempt to derail Paul's momentum. The contribtor had to
have known that the media would get wind of a white supremacist making a $500 donation to a candidate who is anti-racism (supposedly). It was a great attempt
to cast some doubt on Paul's stand against racism in America. I didn't need Storm Front to make me second-guess Paul; I have serious doubts that he is who he says he is.
Remember, George W. Bush ran as a compassionate conservative. Look what it got us:
Basically, what I'm saying is: politicians lie like a rug to win votes. After they're in the White House, all hell breaks loose. I wouldn't trust Ron Paul if I were you.
He seems too good to be true -- like another Republican we know.
What Exactly Did Ron Paul Say About Poverty in the US?
12.19.07 (2:03 pm) posted by Genia
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I'm just getting a chance to review One.org's website.
They're the newest SistersTalk advertiser to your left. The organization is aggressively attacking the following issues in the United Sates:
The spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis
Malaria
Child and maternal health
Universal primary education
The number of people without clean water or enough food
One.org has urged every Presidential candidate to submit plans - in writing - on these issues. Here's a quick comparison of each candidate's responses.
2. Do you believe marriage rights should be determined at the state or federal level?
Genia: . . . I support any law that dictates age restrictions. In my opinion, an adult shouldn't be allowed to marry a teenager -- like R Kelly for example. We have age restrictions on alcohol consumption, driving privileges, military service, and the purchase of cigarettes. It seems logical to require that both parties are at least 18 years of age before they are allowed to marry. If Evangelists are so concerned about the sanctity of marriage, I would think they would look seriously at legislation that makes it illegal for R Kelly types to exploit teenagers.
Paleocrat:As much as I hate saying this, I think age restrictions have much more to do with the power and influence of the state over our children than it does with their wellbeing. I also think that it has more to do with special interest groups (i.e., government schools, business elites, etc.) than with the wellbeing of a community. For example, I think that the tension teenagers have between their internal time clock and external constraints is at the top of the list of reasons for teenage depression, suicide, pre-marital sex, abortion, the use of contraception, and teen pregnancy.
Let me nuance my former remarks by saying that local communities (not the state or federal governments) are best to handle this situation.
3. If you do not support gay marriage rights, do you support civil unions that will provide homosexual couples with the same rights and obligations that married heterosexual couples have?
Genia:I will need clarification on Jeremiah's answer, but here's my response. It's my opinion that gay marriage opponents are against allowing homosexuals to marry because they want the right to define the word "marriage." Essentially, they want ownership of the word "marriage." So be it. Give heterosexuals the word "marriage" and allow homosexuals to use the term "civil union." Couples in civil unions should be afforded the same rights and obligations that married heterosexuals have.
Paleocrat: I have been very vocal in my frustration with evangelicals and Republicans over this issue. For starters, marriage is in disarray unlike any other time in American history. Divorce, adultery, single parent homes, reproduction rates that barely keep our nation above survival (2.5), and families unable to make it week-to-week with bills and mounting debt. With all of this, a definition should be the last of our concerns. The substance and meaning of the word is what needs saving, not a bunch of letters stringed together to form a word. If this was done, the definition wouldn't really be under dispute.
Once again, is gays want marriage rights, fine; but they must also allow the private sector to decide whether or not they wish to provide various benefits. We have ownership rights and the "right" to marry in conflict. When it comes to the market, ownership rights trump. We don't have a "right to work" anywhere we want. The owner has the right to choose who he/she wishes to work for him/her and what benefits the place of employment will provide or even recognize.
On Gay Rights
1. Do you believe all states should establish laws that make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation?
Genia:Discrimination in the work place, in housing, in schools, and in any other public entity based on sexual orientation should be deemed illegal and a violation of a person's civil rights. Private religious organizations can do whatever they please; however, it's my opinion that people who call themselves Christians wouldn't allow discrimination of any kind. Jeremiah is correct; owners who discriminate for whatever reason will feel the brunt of those decisions down the line. Highly-skilled talent is wasted when companies discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or what-have-you.
Paleocrat: Prohibiting the owners' right to discriminate transfers ownership from the private sphere to the government. I would say that Genia's admission that the private market would just as much damage (I contend more!) than the law is good reason to abstain from unjust laws trampling ownership rights. Anytime the free market can settle it without government intervention, stick with the free market
2. Do you believe the federal government should include homosexuals & transgendered people in all civil rights legislation?
Genia:The last line of Article 1 Section 8 says, "[The Congress shall have Power] To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof." I translate this line to mean that Congress has the power to establish whatever laws necessary to ensure the Constitution functions as it should. With that said, I think it's necessary to establish news laws that make mention of people our founding fathers and subsequent lawmakers neglected to protect.
Paleocrat:First of all, that line only permits the Federal Government to make laws that are necessary and proper for enabling the government to execute the responsibilities delegated to it in the Constitution. Nothing more. Second, the Constitution was meant to limit the government, not to toss around civil right lemon drops and lollipops.
On Affirmative Action
2. If you do not support Affirmative Action, what do you suggest would be a better way to fix the results of 200+ years of racial discrimination in the United States?
Genia:I have to speak directly to Jeremiah on this issue. You stated, "Resentment among the white community is the last thing minorities need if their goal is to heal racism." If anybody should be resentful, it's definitely not a group of people who have historically had a social and economic advantage over others simply because they are white. It shouldn't be my goal to heal racism; that should be the goal of the people who fueled those racism flames for 200+ years. Blacks did not fuel those flames, white people did.
Paleocrat: The issue at hand has to do with means by which to attain an agreed upon end. I want racism eradicated off the face of the earth. In fact, being a devout Catholic in an interracial marriage where birth control is considered a mortal sin, we'll be breaking down the walls of racism one baby at a time. Did white people in history do horrific things to blacks? Certainly. I don't deny this. I think much of what we see and hear of slavery in the mid-1800's is overblown, but to deny that chattel slavery was wrong and that the slave trade (insofar as people were stolen and sold) was immoral. But to impute the sins of the father on to the son is unjust. Much worse to impose it upon the great, great, great, great, great, great grandchildren.
I'm not laying the blame at the feet of the blacks who came over on slave ships. Heavens forbid! I am simply saying that if we want lasting results in overcoming racism then we have to work together.
We need communication. This is a two-way street. And pissing off a bunch of white people, who still have the majority of the money and power, is not productive to accomplish the ends.
Oh, and nobody thought I would go to college. I was an underachiever all my life. I almost failed every year in high school. I honestly thought I was going to work at Target until I retired. That was at least one step up from my pizza delivery job.
On Separation of Church and State
1. Are you in agreement with this statement: Prayer in public schools should only be allowed in student-established and student-run religious clubs or organizations.
Genia:I support separation of school and state; however, I believe students should be allowed to establish religious organizations within the school -- just as they are allowed to establish other clubs like debate, cheer, and music. School acts as a social space for its members, whether we want to admit that or not. Students spend approximately 35 - 38 hours a week in school. Add an additional 20 more if the student is involved in any extracurricular activities. School becomes a second home. Students should be allowed to make their second home just as comfortable as their first home.
Paleocrat: Agreed. So long as we are stuck with government schools, it is only fair that religious clubs are permitted within the school. To believe contrary would be a form of taxation without representation. Unfortunately, schools are their first home these days.
2. State your opinion on what our founding fathers meant when they suggested there should be a separation of church and state.
Genia:Jeremiah has made his own interpretation of Story's commentary on the Constitution. I agree with his interpretation -- sorta. I have interpreted the founding fathers opinion on church and state in a literal sense. It seems to me the founding fathers didn't want to delve too much into religion as it would have wreaked havoc in a new country that was established with the idea that people would be free to worship as they please. To establish any laws at all that would govern worship would have gone against the principles on which this country was founded. My question was not whether the founding fathers wanted to make one religion superior to another; my question was did the founding fathers want to keep the government out of religious matters completely. My answer would be yes.
Paleocrat: Well, even if they wished to keep federal government out of religious matters (which is what the first amendment is dealing with), the framers must have forgotten what they meant. Worse yet, it didn't take long! One of the first things established was a congressional chaplain; as president, Washington declared days of Thanksgiving where the people were pray to the Lord and Ruler of Nations; and Jefferson, a darling of the separation of church and state lobby, established sodomy and Sabbath laws in Virginia. Regardless, the prohibition, if taken in it's literal sense, is applicable only to the federal Congress. [ | permalink]
Former Brady Bunch star Christopher Knight threatened to leave his model wife Adrianne Curry when she posed for sexy lesbian photos - as a birthday gift.
Liar. Liar. Big fat liar!
Can we say publicity stunt all the way around? Unless Knight is a closet homo, a prude, or completely insecure, he ain't even worryin' about his wife running off with another woman.
He needs to stop cryin' as if he is. There are very few men who give a crap about their wife swappin' spit with another woman.
People like Angelina Jolie have
been whippin' out the "Look at me! I'm a lesbian . . . sorta!" card forever. It gets them more attention when their careers are in a slump.
Yeah, the article made my eye twitch a bit. Another straight girl playin' gay to entertain her man. *yawn* That's so old.
What about a vacation in Rome or something?
That seems like a much more exciting gift to me.
I'm a Lesbian, It's Christmas, and I Haven't Taken My Meds. Be Afraid
12.18.07 (8:00 pm) posted by Genia
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A recent article in The Advocate discusses a study conducted by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications.
The study finds that lesbians experience more holiday stress than straight women:
. . .80% of lesbian adults felt more stress around the holidays, compared with 64% of heterosexual women.
And while 51% of lesbians said they tend to feel more depressed around the holidays, only 36% of straight women did.
I searched Google hoping to find a complete copy of the study. No luck. I would be interested in knowing:
sample size
racial makeup of respondents
geographical location of respondents (people in cold climates may answer stress-related questions differently than those in a warmer climate due to a condition called S.A.D.)
Knowing the answers to those questions will help me get a better perspective on a study that seems, to me, quite useless and
a complete waste of research dollars. Most adults who have even the smallest amount of real-life experience know that the holidays are quite stressful.
The more I think about it, I'd like to know if there were any leading questions in the survey -- questions that would
prompt lesbians to answer certain questions differently than straight women. For example, simply asking an orientation question on a survey related
to stress may encourage homosexual respondents to consider their sexuality as they answer the survey questions. I'm willing to bet if a comparable study was conducted and
one of the questions asked respondents to identify their race, you will see huge differences in the respondents' answers. Conduct the same study on a different group, delete the race question, and watch
how the results change.
I have many straight female friends. None of them seem any more stressed out than I am.
We're all about ready to walk into a post office with a semi-automatic weapon. I don't think I'm any more stressed
than my friends simply because I'm a lesbian.
12.16.07 (2:26 am) posted by Genia
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The weather here has been pretty nasty, so I stayed in and worked on adding the Digg widget to all my posts. I noticed something very interesting within 5 minutes after I added
the Digg widget to my Ron Paul post ( A Serious Look at Ron Paul) and submitted it to Digg.
Within minutes after submitting my post to Digg, I noticed an immediate influx in traffic from Digg.
People are apparently monitoring Digg for any posts regarding Ron Paul and Digging it -- I assume
to get all the Paul posts to the top of the popular list. Is that where part of Paul's $12 million is going? To Digg Hit Men?
Before I shake my finger at this viral marketing tactic Paul's supporters have employed, I will first give it some kudos. What a great move! It reminds me of the
collaborative efforts liberal bloggers used to associate Bush's name with the phrase
"miserable failure".
I hope Obama supporters are paying attention here. It's time for them to get just as aggressive as Paul supporters. If saturating Digg with Obama posts will help his campaign, I don't
see why they shouldn't do it. But, will Paul's Digg Hit Men really help him win the election? We shall see.
He Might Not be a Rush Limbaugh Mini-Me, But He's Still a Republican!
12.15.07 (8:54 pm) posted by Genia
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Update 12:30 am 12/16/2007: I just had a young white girl email me the dumbest comment I've received so far on this posting. Comment posted here
------------
Original post:
"Resentment among the white community is the last thing minorities need if their goal is to heal racism." - Jeremiah
Background:
Jeremiah (also called Paleocrat) is a 29 year-old, white, married, heterosexual male who has aligned himself with the Republican party -- although he did not vote for Bush in the 2004 election. Jeremiah runs a college radio talk show called Pale Radio at Olivet College where he is a student majoring in Journalism and minoring in Political Science. Jeremiah likes to discuss theology, politics, and apologetics.
Genia is a 35 year-old Black, single, gay female who is an Independent but will most likely vote for a Democrat in 2008. Genia is the author of SistersTalk: a blog that addresses politics, left-leaning issues, women's rights, lesbian & gay rights, and racial tension in the US. Genia has an MBA degree, but shares Jeremiah's passion for politics as she minored in Political Science as an undergrad at Beloit College.
Jeremiah and Genia have begun what will hopefully become an educational exchange between two people who have seemingly diametrical views on political and social issues in America.
1. Do you believe the government has the right to establish laws that govern marriage using religious beliefs as an argument?
Jeremiah: No. The state shouldn't spend time defining marriage any more than it defines the color red.
Genia:I agree with Jeremiah. The government should not be in the business of defining personal relationships between consenting adults. The Bush Administration wasted a lot of time making every attempt to define marriage using fundamentalists religious beliefs. That time would have been better spent trying to figure out how to fix the country's growing deficit.
2. Do you believe marriage rights should be determined at the state or federal level?
Jeremiah: Neither. I believe in the complete separation of marriage and government.
Genia: I agree with this statement as well; however, I support any law that dictates age restrictions. In my opinion, an adult shouldn't be allowed to marry a teenager -- like R Kelly for example. We have age restrictions on alcohol consumption, driving privileges, military service, and the purchase of cigarettes. It seems logical to require that both parties are at least 18 years of age before they are allowed to marry. If Evangelists are so concerned about the sanctity of marriage, I would think they would look seriously at legislation that makes it illegal for R Kelly types to exploit teenagers.
3. If you do not support gay marriage rights, do you support civil unions that will provide homosexual couples with the same rights and obligations that married heterosexual couples have?
Jeremiah: No. I think such benefits and obligations should be determined and afforded by the private market without state intervention.
Genia: I will need clarification on Jeremiah's answer, but here's my response. It's my opinion that gay marriage opponents are against allowing homosexuals to marry because they want the right to define the word "marriage." Essentially, they want ownership of the word "marriage." So be it. Give heterosexuals the word "marriage" and allow homosexuals to use the term "civil union." Couples in civil unions should be afforded the same rights and obligations that married heterosexuals have.
On Gay Rights
1. Do you believe all states should establish laws that make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation?
Jeremiah: No. Owners should be able to discriminate for whatever reason they choose. It will cost them, but ownership rights trump.
Genia: Discrimation in the work place, in housing, in schools, and in any other public entity based on sexual orientation should be deemed illegal and a violation of a person's civil rights. Private religious organizations can do whatever they please; however, it's my opinion that people who call themselves Christians wouldn't allow discrimination of any kind. Jeremiah is correct; owners who discrimimate for whatever reason will feel the brunt of those decisions down the line. Highly-skilled talent is wasted when companies discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or what-have-you.
2. Do you believe the federal government should include homosexuals & transgendered people in all civil rights legislation?
Jeremiah: No. I think the Constitution is fair enough. I also think that most all legislation along those lines runs the risk of moving beyond the delegated powers of Article 1 Section 8.
Genia: The last line of Article 1 Section 8 says, "[The Congress shall have Power] To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof." I translate this line to mean that Congress has the power to establish whatever laws necessary to ensure the Constitution functions as it should. With that said, I think it's necessary to establish news laws that make mention of people our founding fathers and subsequent lawmakers neglected to protect.
3. Please state your opinion on hate crime laws that provide harsher punishments for people who commit crimes against homosexuals and transgendered people.
Jeremiah: I am not a fan of categorizing actions as "hate crimes" and giving various groups protected or special status in the court of law. If they murder, it is murder. If they assault, they assault. I could care less if the man beating the crap out of me does so because he hates white people. What I want is justice for the fact that I was beat up by someone.
Genia: I am in agreement with Jeremiah here. I am against establishing hate crime laws. I believe tougher laws should be established for things like murder, domestic violence, and rape. Once those tougher laws are established, they should be applied equally to all people -- regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. In other words, white men shouldn't receive a lesser sentence for the same crimes that Black men commit (and vice versa). This country is notorious for that kind of thing.
On Affirmative Action
1. Please state your opinion on Affirmative Action.
Jeremiah: I am opposed to state mandated affirmative action. I believe, regardless of the arguments to the contrary, that they are quotas. I believe this is inherent within the idea of "fair representation." On the other hand, it should be completely permitted in the private sector. If a private college or a private business wishes to "diversify" their staff through some type of affirmative action, then so be it. But certainly not at the state level and certainly not any agency receiving even a penny of state funding.
Genia: Again, I am in agreement with Jeremiah -- for the most part. Contrary to the rhetoric we hear from those who support Affirmative Action in state agencies, it is definitely a quota issue. I once worked as a Headhunter (a staffing recruiter) and my area of expertise was in Diversity Hiring. I had a difficult time recommending a candidate to a company who did not meet all of the company's requirements just because the candidate was a female or Black. But, just so there's no misunderstanding of what diversity initiatives are, these initiatives often included white men and white women. For example, in the medical field, a white male nurse was considered a diversity hire -- simply because most nurses are white women.
One can argue that traditionally, Blacks live in areas where public school systems neglect to provide the same education to Black students as they do to white students. I live in one of those school districts. The school district on the west side of Beloit, WI is predominately white; the school district on the east side of Beloit is predominately Black and Hispanic. Guess which school gets the better teachers, supplies, and the most state funding? Hell, even Rockford, IL's school district is still struggling with desegregation issues that directly affect the quality of the education students receive.
By the time a Black student who grew up on Beloit's east side hits high school, he is already way behind a white student who grew up on Beloit's west side. Now, which of those students has a better chance of going off to college and securing a good, high-paying job? That question should be fairly easy to answer.
I've worked hard to make myself extremely marketable to any company. I have a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). I honestly believed I needed to get a Mas
liberal bloggers
Merry Christmas to everyone who's wandering around the blogosphere instead of spending time with family and friends. My teenage boys are with their father, so
I'm drinkin' and bloggin'. Watch out, things could get a little dangerous.